The Power of Knowledge
by knaka148
Summary: A player enters the new world with something that Ainz lacked, knowledge. How will this story play out?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, so I've finally hit writers block with my other story, so don't expect an update anytime soon, but as luck would have it, I've come up with a new story idea. With this in my head, I can't write anything else, so here it is.**

XXX

It is amazing how much a small change in the present can alter the future. A single, seemingly inconsequential decision can have far-reaching effects.

Now, let us see what a major change does.

XXX

23:22

"HAAAAH"

A warrior wearing shining silver armor charged towards a monstrosity made of flesh stitched together. The Flesh Juggernaut was busy fighting a two-headed dragon, leaving him wide open for an attack. Behind the warrior, an elf wearing an intricate golden robe and holding a large book called out.

[Divine Blade] [Heavenly Blessing]

The warrior started to glow, and with strength enhanced with magic, stuck the Flesh Juggernaut. The warrior quickly backed away as a spherical blue dome surrounding a blonde man next to the elf shattered.

Super-tier spell: [Fallen Down]

A bright white light engulfed the area, killing both the Flesh Juggernaut and the two-headed dragon. Once the light disappeared, the man who cast the spell spoke first.

"And that's all, folks."

"Yeah, but did you have to kill my dragon as well?"

Another man with black hair wearing fancy clothing walked out from behind a wall that quickly disappeared responded.

"Oh, come on does it really matter? We finished the boss and your summon was almost out of both time and health."

"It's the principle that matters!"

"Come on, stop fighting, you two, this is the last day."

The elf interrupted the argument between the two magic casters.

"Sorry, about that, El, got a little excited here."

"Yeah, sorry"

The warrior in silver armor chose this moment to speak up.

"Well, this is a touching moment and all, but I have to get up early tomorrow, so I can't stay. Thanks, for the invite and I hope to see you guys again somewhere."

"Thanks, man"

"See you, rock"

"Goodbye, my friend."

[Rick the Rock has logged out]

With that notification, the warrior in silver armor disappeared.

"Well, I better get going too. I start work next week and I want to be prepared. It was nice seeing you one last time, Mike and Cow."

"Eh, won't we see each other in Ultimax as well?"

"Ah, sorry, Mike, but I'm quitting that game. I don't think I'll have time once I start work."

"Ah, I see, take care then."

"Yeah, good luck with that new job."

[Elle has logged out]

Another notification appeared as the elf disappeared.

"And then there were two."

"Yeah, so what are you planning on doing Cow?"

"Eh, I'll probably head back to the guild base and wait till the end. It's only about half an hour more. What about you?"

"I'll go tour Alfheim for a few minutes, but I've got to leave soon too."

"You're not going to wait till the end?"

"Nah, I really don't see the point in it. Take care of yourself man."

"Yeah, maybe we'll see each other again. Thanks for coming today, Mike."

"No problem, thanks for the invite. [Gate]"

A black portal appeared in front of the two and the blonde stepped through it.

"Well, I'd better be going as well. [Gate]"

Another portal appeared and the black haired man sent through it.

XXX

23:40

ACE was one of the oldest and was until recently one of the most powerful guilds in YGGDRASIL. It had gone through many different guild leaders and had seen its share of highs and lows. At several points, the guild was almost disbanded, but several dedicated members kept it going. Although it was one of the strongest guilds in YDDGRASIL the average strength of a member wasn't very impressive. The guild was strong because it had so many members. While there were a few strong players in it, most were casuals who just wanted to have fun.

There was also a lot of speculation about the guild name. Most people thought it was an acronym for something but the truth was different. The original founders of the guild had no creativity and the minimum size for a guild name was three letters.

The current guild master of ACE was Cowgomoo. He joined the guild a few years ago after spending some time in casual guilds and soloing for a while and had held his position for a little over two months, when the previous leader quit once it was announced that YDDGRASIL was ending. Cowgomoo walked through his portal and arrived in front of his guild's base. The Fortress City of Galahall was located in Jotunheim and appeared to be a small two-story fortress from the outside. However, the fortress itself, called forward base, was just the entrance and the guild base itself was underground. The base originally had four levels, but the members of ACE had increased it to six levels. The members of ACE had 2600 levels of custom NPCs to create with this base. The base itself had 1600 levels and for some reason they received a bonus of 1000 levels. No one knew how they got this bonus, but from what was publicly known, it was the highest bonus that any base had. The Fortress City of Galahall also had the distinction of being one of only 14 bases that had never been conquered in YDDGRASIL once a guild had occupied it, although thanks to their good reputation, they did not have to fend off any organized assaults. The base got its name from the large underground city inhabited by NPCs that lived on the fourth floor. These NPCs were technically not under the guild's control, but a feature of the base that gave certain bonuses. The first three floors and the fortress on top were devoted to defense, while the fifth floor was designed as the final line of defense and the sixth floor housed rooms of the guild members and other miscellaneous rooms. They also had their treasury on the sixth floor, but like many other guilds, it was separated from the rest of the base and only accessible with a guild ring.

Cowgomoo walked pass the gate of the fortress and activated his guild ring to teleport to the throne room on the sixth floor. The room itself was empty except for a single female NPC with blonde hair dressed like a young secretary standing next to the throne. The NPC's name was Jasmine and she was one of the few NPCs still in the guild base created by the original founders.

Cowgomoo looked at her for a moment. For some reason, the original founders of ACE decided it was a good idea to use 100 of their custom NPC levels on an NPC that would almost certainly not see combat. From what her description said, she was in charge of the administration of the guild base. She was also designated as one of the last lines of defense for ACE and had good combat potential. However, as the administration of the base couldn't be controlled by an NPC and she was placed at a point far past where the guild weapon was stored, there was basically no way she would ever be used for her stated purpose. He understood that there were a few hardcore role-players among the founders, but this seemed like too much. Still, it wasn't like they desperately needed the extra NPC levels and at least they weren't like that one guild that made several hundred level 1 NPCs.

Cowgomoo sat on the throne at the end of the room. Part of him wanted to get the guild weapon from the conference room, The Bow of ACE, just to look cool, but he felt that it would be more trouble than it was worth. At that moment, a notification appeared in front of him.

[Michelangelo has logged out]

Cowgomoo looked at his time display.

23:48

"He couldn't wait for twelve more minutes, huh? Oh, well."

Cowgomoo felt a little sad that he would be the only one from his guild to stay until the end, but was still glad that three of his friends had come back today to go on one last adventure. He had sent an invitation to all 306 registered members of the guild, but most of them hadn't logged in in over a year. He was actually surprised that anyone had bothered to show up at all. As the seconds ticked down to the shutdown, he allowed his mind to wander.

Cowgomoo started as casual player, but got more and more invested in YDDGRASIL as time passed. He made friends, fought battles, and explored the world. He had been quite depressed when he heard about its shutdown, but didn't let it consume him. He would eventually find another game to play.

Cowgomoo was primarily a summoner with several support abilities. While not the strongest in the guild, he was one of the strongest players, probably one of the strongest in the game when it came to PVE, but only in the middle of the upper tier for PVP. He had a full set of Divine-class equipment specialized for his character build. He was specialized in combat and exploration, with almost no non-combat abilities such as crafting and gathering.

23:59

As the seconds ticked down to the inevitable shutdown, Cowgomoo was filled with both regret and happiness. Regret that the game was coming to an end, but happiness of all the memories that he had made in it. He decided to watch the countdown and count with it.

Ten more seconds left.

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

As soon as the time expired, something amazing happened. Call it divine intervention, an act of god, destiny, or fate, but for some inexplicable reason it just happened. The instant Cowgomoo was sent into the new world, a huge amount of information was forced into his mind. It was both images and text, information that would undoubtedly change his future.

Cowgomoo, in that brief instant, for some inexplicable reason, had both the first season of the Overlord anime series and the light novels up to volume 11 sent directly into his mind.

The feeling of having so much information being sent directly into your mind was indescribable, somehow both uncomfortable and pleasant at the same time. In addition to this information, Cowgomoo was given a few other facts, including that ACE had been sent here instead of Ainz Ooal Gown, no other players were sent with them, and the events that he now knew could be changed.

It took Cowgomoo a few seconds to reorient himself, calm his mind, and briefly go over the information that he received. He felt panic slowly rising in him, but managed to keep it under control as he confirmed that the game's command console was missing. At that moment, he heard a voice call out to him.

"Is everything alright, master Cowgomoo?"

Cowgomoo slowly turned his head to the person who addressed him, the NPC Jasmine. As he saw her worried expression, he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"You've gotta be shitting me."

XXX

 **A/N**

 **So, that's the first chapter. Just to let you know, don't expect my update speed to be anything like it was for my other story. I've got some stuff to do in life, so the best I can expect is a chapter a week or so.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

 **In case anyone is wondering, I do plan on updating my other story. Eventually. Someday.**

XXX

As Cowgomoo and Jasmine stared at each other, a few awkward moments passed by. Eventually, Jasmine broke the silence.

"Is there a problem, master Cowgomoo?"

The player Cowgomoo took a moment to organize his thoughts before responding.

'OK, time to BS'

Attempting to show a dignified persona, Cowgomoo addressed the only other occupant of the room.

"I'm fine Jasmine, however I just sensed that something major has happened."

"What is the problem, master Cowgomoo?"

"I sensed a powerful force around Galahall. I suspect something has happened. Please organize a small reconnaissance team to scout the surrounding area. Make sure that the team is only comprised of humans. Their orders are to stay within two kilometers of forward base and avoid unnecessary combat. If they encounter intelligent beings, they are to try and make peaceful contact but if they encounter hostiles, they are to retreat immediately and report what they have learned. If my senses are right, we should be in a plains area instead of the usual mountainous region we were in earlier."

Cowgomoo knew what to expect, but he decided to err on the side of caution and confirm if the information he had received was accurate. Although he instinctively knew it was true, there was nothing to lose by confirming it. Also, just because he felt like something was true didn't mean it was indeed true.

"Very well, master Cowgomoo, I shall see to it at once."

As Jasmine turned around, the player spoke once more.

"Ah, one more thing, Jasmine, please call me Satoshi instead of Cowgomoo."

"Master?"

Jasmine looked at him confused.

"Satoshi is my true name. For various reasons, beings such as myself are reluctant to share their true names with our peers and use other names in their place, but it seems that particular precaution is not necessary any longer. I used the name Cowgomoo when dealing with others earlier."

Satoshi silently wished he could go back and change his character name. He had chosen it because it seemed funny at the time. If he had known that something like this would happen, he'd have used a less silly name.

"I see, master Satoshi. In that case, should I still address you as Cowgomoo in the presence of others?

"No, that will not be necessary. I have recently acquired a means to rid myself of that particular weakness. It no longer matters if others know my true name. Please alert everyone else in Galahall of this as well. I shall meet you in the grand chamber in about two hours."

"Very well, master Satoshi"

With that, Jasmine left the room. Once the door closed behind her, Satoshi let his body relax and put his hand in his head.

"What am I supposed to do now?"

Satoshi took a few minutes to analyze the information he received. There were a few inconsistencies, but he had seen enough adaptations to expect those.

Satoshi knew of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown, but didn't personally know any of the members in it very well. Unlike Momonga/Ainz, who was sent to this world with an undead avatar, Satoshi/Cowgomoo had a human avatar, so he didn't need to worry about the effects of a different body, at least too much; his character was taller than he was in reality. While this did mean he did not have the advantages being an undead had, such as no need for nourishment and an indefinite lifespan, it also meant he did not have any of the disadvantages. From his view as an observer, Satoshi could see that Momonga/Ainz had slowly lost touch with his humanity as time progressed. Even in the early part of the story, Satoshi disagreed with several of Momonga/Ainz's decisions. The only one he could completely support was the decision to stay in this world instead of try to return to his old one. The world he came from was polluted, overcrowded, and restrictive. Here, assuming the information he had was correct, he could experience things that were long lost and do something with his life, possibly make a positive impact on the world. While he was far from a saint, he did have a conscience and would help where he could.

Unfortunately, Satoshi didn't receive much information about the major powers in this new world, although he did know about the world-class item [Downfall of Castle and Country] and who held it in YDDGRASIL. If his theory was correct, he might be able to use that to his advantage. Satoshi silently cursed the author of such a story for not giving more information. Suddenly, a thought went through his mind. If Momonga was the subject of a story, how did he know that it wasn't the same with him as well? What if someone was watching or reading about him?

"I know you're there. Answer me. What do you want from me?"

Satoshi spoke to the empty room and waited for a response. After a few moments, he thought about the situation again, and realized that there was no point in doing this. If he was indeed in such a situation, nothing he did about it would matter. After all, he had read and watched many stories as well, and he couldn't affect the story, he could just enjoy it. Even if it were possible, Satoshi had no way to influence the audience.

'Still, it would be cool to be featured in an opening like I saw in that anime. The soundtrack was pretty good as well'.

Shaking those thoughts aside, Satoshi decided that his best course of action would be to secure himself in this new world and try to improve it. While he didn't see himself as a hero or anything, he wasn't heartless either, and he would help where he could. Besides, he knew that the more people who liked him, the better off he was. While Machiavelli might disagree, Satoshi believed it was best if most people saw him as a positive influence on the world, or at least one that didn't negatively affect them.

Satoshi activated his guild ring and disappeared from the throne room.

XXX

Satoshi reappeared in a long hallway and walked toward his destination. After passing a few doors, he approached a door labeled 'Training Room 6' on it. ACE had 10 training rooms in the Fortress City of Galahall, each with different settings. For his purpose today, room 6 would suffice.

Satoshi walked into a room with three straw training dummies by the far side of the room. The room was relatively large, about 50 meters long and 30 meters wide. It was the fourth largest training room in Galahall.

"Alright, let's see if this works"

Pointing toward the dummies, Satoshi cast his spells.

[Electro-sphere] [Fireball] [Ice Spear]

The three spells worked as expected and destroyed the dummies. Satoshi smiled in relief.

"Well, that's one last thing to worry about, let's test if summons work now."

[Summon: Bright Phoenix]

A bright light manifested in the center of the room. Once it dimmed, it revealed a bird made of fire. The flames were yellow instead of red and Satoshi instantly felt the connection with his summoned creature.

"Well, that works as well, now to make it permanent I need to ah crap."

Going through his memories, Satoshi realized that he only knew that to summon permanent undead, you needed a corpse as a medium. He had no idea how to permanently summon other creatures. Unfortunately, Satoshi could only summon a few undead; most his summons were golems, beasts, elementals, dragons and angels. Even so, he didn't think it was a good idea to use undead in this world, given what he knew of the beliefs here, and there was also the issue of where he would get the corpses.

'Eh, I'll figure it out later. For now, I need to get something to eat."

Feeling hungry, Satoshi activated his guild ring and teleported to the dining hall.

XXX

Surprisingly, when Satoshi went to the dining hall, the NPCs there called him by his real name instead of Cowgomoo. He had no idea how Jasmine had spread that information so quickly, but he didn't question it. He ordered a few high-class dishes there and enjoyed them thoroughly. As he was eating, he silently pitied Momonga/Ainz, who he knew was unable to eat in his story. After finishing his meal, he went to the treasury to get a few items, including a ring of sustenance and the 'Amulet of the Divine Star', one of three World-class items that ACE possessed. While he hoped it wouldn't be necessary, he knew that other World-class items were here and he didn't want to get hit by their effects. Of the three World-class items ACE possessed, the Amulet of the Divine Star was the one that was hardest to steal and would give him protection from other World-class items. After that, he went to the master console, adjusted some settings, and then relaxed in his private chambers for a while before teleporting to the grand chamber.

Satoshi was grateful that there was a working bathroom in his personal room. If that were not the case, it would be a nightmare.

A little before the appointed time, Satoshi arrived at the grand chamber. Although it was called that, it was merely the place where the members of the guild regularly met. It also served as their guildhall's respawn point, although that probably didn't work anymore, and the location of the Guild Weapon.

After a few minutes, Jasmine walked in followed by two other NPCs. Satoshi recognized them immediately, both being level 100 custom NPCs.

The first was Mushashi, a monk-class warrior who was in charge of the city area. He had short black hair, loose fitting white clothes, and a battle-hardened body.

The second one was Lancel, a knight-class warrior who was designated as the deputy commander of the NPC defenses. He looked similar to Mushashi, but wore powerful armor instead of loose robes. Additionally, he was not a human, but a dragonoid, one of the heteromorphic species.

Satoshi idly wondered why Alana, the commander of the NPC defenses was not here instead of Lancel. Before Satoshi could ask, Jasmine spoke.

"I apologize, master Satoshi, I hope I did not keep you waiting. I invited Mushashi and Lancel to this meeting because they needed to discuss this situation with you. I asked Alana to come, but she was busy organizing Galahall's defense and had to send Lancel instead."

"Ah, if that's the case, than it's fine. So, what is the situation outside?"

Lancel answered this question as it pertained to his area of expertise.

"As you suspected, master Satoshi, we are no longer in a mountainous area but are surrounded by plains. Our scouts have not encountered any intelligent life in the area."

"Very well then, is there a way to conceal our presence?"

"Well, illusions are possible, but difficult to maintain. Perhaps we should have our druids create small hills and forests in the area?"

"Well, there's probably a better idea than that, but I can't think of it right now. Let's go with that plan for now. Are there any other issues?"

"No, master Satoshi."

"Very well, what brings you here, Mushashi?

The monk addressed Satoshi respectfully.

"Master, the residents of the city have learned of these new developments and are fearful. With this new change, they do not know what to expect in the future."

The NPCs in the city area of Galahall, while not under the direct control of ACE, did offer several benefits. Among them were the use of NPC vendors and crafters as well as tax revenue from the city. In this situation, he wasn't sure how things would work. Would the citizens need to gather or otherwise acquire raw materials in order to continue to produce items for him to buy? Did the citizens produce enough food to sustain themselves or would they have to import? Since they were not under his direct control and therefore not as loyal to him, was there a possibility they would rebel against him? Many questions needed to be answered. Satoshi decided to take temporary measures for now and address the issue later.

"I see, in that case, make a public statement that we are addressing the situation and will continue to offer the citizen's protection. Also, announce that taxes will be cut in half for three months to allow them to adjust to this new situation."

"That is most generous, master."

"It's fine, it's not like we are in need of money immediately and I've taken steps to reduce our expenses."

With that, Satoshi dismissed Lancel and Mushashi.

"Now then, Jasmine, I have new orders for you. Assemble a squad of 40 individuals skilled in stealth and guerilla warfare and have them standby in the grand arena. Have several magic casters ready to teleport them out to any nearby location. I intend to explore this new world and may need support if things go bad.

"Are you sure that's wise, master?"

"No, but it is necessary. We need more information and I need to gather it personally to make sure we don't miss anything. The backup is just a precaution."

Satoshi was silently thankful that ACE had set their NPC backstories to see guild members as great and powerful lords instead of something like gods or 'supreme beings'. They would obey guild members and remain loyal, but not consider them irreplaceable or worship them. That would have been awkward.

After Jasmine reluctantly agreed had to her orders, Satoshi teleported to his personal chambers. It had been a long day and he needed to rest. While the ring of sustenance prevented fatigue and hunger, it did not recover it. Since Satoshi was already tired when he put it on, it only prevented him from getting more tired and he still needed to rest. He planned to restore his energy before he started his next task.

Carne Village.

XXX

 **Yes, the protagonist was talking to you there for a moment. No, not you, you. You know who you are.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**

 **Someone mentioned in the comments that the main character has some god powers since he knows everything and this would be very boring. I would like to point out that this is not the case. The main character knows how the story would have gone, but by simply being there he has changed it. By making certain decisions or doing certain actions, the character has altered some events, which will alter further events and so on. He certainly has an advantage from knowing some things and can accurately predict a few events in the short run, but on the other hand if he relies on this knowledge too much he will be blindsided when an event happens differently than his knowledge.**

 **I would also like to mention that the main character hasn't figured this out as of yet, but he will realize some of it during this chapter.**

 **There are plenty of ways to play with this setting and create a challenge for the characters. I may not be able to write it that well or how you the reader will expect, but I do have an outline of a plan.**

XXX

"GAH, why is this so hard?"

Satoshi was currently sitting in his room using a Mirror of Remote Viewing to scout the area around forward base.

Or at least he was trying to.

"It said that to zoom out you need to do a motion that you would use in frustration. Well, I'm frustrated and I'm using those motions! Why doesn't it zoom out?"

Satoshi had been sitting in front of the mirror for over two hours at this point. He thought it would be easy to learn how to use the mirror so he had enjoyed a good night's rest and a leisurely breakfast before trying it. Satoshi had anticipated he would be able to learn how to use the mirror proficiently within 30 minutes and then use it to scout the area around his guildhall before finding Carne Village and arrive there early to stop the attack that would happen there before anyone died.

That plan was now firmly down the drain.

"Dammit, why didn't the author give more information about the details? Or did he? I can't remember."

One thing Satoshi quickly discovered was that it was possible for him to forget what he had mysteriously learned. Like any story, it was easy to remember major plot points and events, but certain details like the color of something or the exact words said were easy to forget.

Satoshi spent another 40 minutes trying to figure out the controls for the mirror, at several points even making rude gestures at it, before he managed to find the correct gestures for control. Deciding to leave scouting the area around forward base until later, Satoshi focused on finding Carne Village. Satoshi zoomed out and tried locating populated areas. After finding three destroyed villages, he finally found a village that wasn't burnt to the ground. Unfortunately, it was currently under attack.

"Dammit, I'm too late. Ah, I better just do what I can for now."

Satoshi decided to put his contingency plan into place and contacted Jasmine with message.

"Jasmine, I'm planning to head out as we discussed earlier. Have a squad of 20 soldiers be teleported to my location in about 3 minutes but have them stay invisible and not take action unless I give the signal."

"Very well, master"

With that, Satoshi cast a teleportation spell and headed to the village.

XXX

Londes Di Gelanpo looked on the scene before him with disgust. He was a proud warrior of the Slaine Theocracy, a defender of humanity. He and his brothers would give their lives to protect humanity.

Those same brothers were now sacking a defenseless village like savages.

It had been this way for several months now. They would destroy helpless villages in order to lure out the great warrior Gazef Stronoff so his superiors could eliminate him for the betterment of humanity. Londes thought that there must be a better way to do this, but he didn't dare question his superiors.

Londes grimaced as he saw Captain Belius repeatedly stab the corpse of a man who had gotten in a good hit on him when one of his comrades rode up to him.

"We're almost finished here, should we start torching the place?"

"Yes, let's just get it"

"AAAHHH!"

The sound of a man screaming caught Londes's attention. With all of the screaming around him, it wouldn't have been out of place, but Londes recognized that voice.

It was one of his comrades, Erion.

Londes turned toward the voice and saw Erion cut in half, his corpse falling next to an unconscious knight, with three large things near him. They were armored in full plate and each of them wielded a long sword and a shield. Although humanoid in appearance, it was obvious that these things were clearly not humans.

Londes only knew of one thing that was vaguely similar to these things, golems.

However, from what Londes knew golems did not have much combat ability. Even the most advanced ones were poor fighters when compared to professional soldiers. They were mainly used as servants. He had never heard of a golem capable of slicing a man in two.

"False knights, leave now and I will spare your lives. If you resist, my golems will slaughter you."

Londes was surprised at the voice and became aware of a man with black hair in a strange robe behind the golems. While he was considering what to do, five of the knights under his command charged the golems. They were quickly cut down and Londes realized they did not stand a chance against these monsters.

"Sound a retreat; we won't be dying here today!"

Londes silently said a prayer to his gods that he would be allowed to escape. All of the knights, even Captain Belius seemed to realize that they were in trouble. Fortunately, their enemies did not attempt to stop them.

One of the knights pulled out a horn and signaled their forces to withdraw and regroup. The false knights quickly withdrew from the village.

XXX

Satoshi watched the knights of the Theocracy run with a sense of satisfaction.

'Well, looks like the people here are as weak as I thought they were. The level 27 steel golems were able to finish them easily enough. I really need to find out how to make them permanent though.'

Earlier, Satoshi did not see Enri and Nemu in the fields around the village. Now, as he looked around, he realized they weren't here either.

'Hopefully, I arrived before they got into trouble. Perhaps their parents are still alive too.'

Satoshi walked up to the terrified villagers and smiled at them gently. He didn't want to scare them, after all.

"People of Carne Village, do not fear, I have come to help you."

The villagers looked at each other, confused. Satoshi decided to try to reassure them.

"Do not fear, I have not come to harm you, I simply saw this village being attacked while passing by and decided to come to your aid. I will not ask for any compensation, but I do wish to gather some information here. My name is Satoshi and I am a traveler. Is there a chief or leader or other representative that I can speak to?"

Satoshi told them the truth, although he did omit several details. He didn't want to take advantage of them or be like Ainz did and act like he had to be repaid. Besides, he reasoned that a traveler searching for information would have a good enough reason to save the village and this noble act would bolster his reputation.

The villagers looked at each other again, seeming slightly more relieved but still on edge. One of the older men walked forward and spoke to Satoshi.

"I am Eric, the chief of the village. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving us. However, I feel that I must inform you that this is Bennir Village, not Carne village. Carne is the next village down this road; it is about a day and a half travel away."

Satoshi took a few moments to absorb the information he had been given.

"Ah, crap."

XXX

Several dozen miles away, a rough-looking man charged forward on his exhausted horse away from a destroyed village. Gazef Stronoff had just sent another group of his squad back to E-Rantel to escort some survivors from the last village he had found.

His king, Ranpossa III, had ordered him and his subordinates to investigate the recent village attacks and stop the culprits. However, due to objections from the Noble faction, he was not allowed to bring his best equipment or a sufficient amount of men.

Gazef knew from the start that something was wrong. However, he couldn't do anything about it without damaging the Royal faction's image. He honestly hated politics.

'They could have at least hired adventures or sent some of the city guards to assist us. Even if they wouldn't be able to stop the imperial knights, they could have at least helped us scout.'

Gazef suspected there was something more going on here. However, what exactly was being planned was beyond him. He would just have to persevere through this challenge.

Gazef and his men rode hard toward the next village, hoping that things would be different there. Gazef was unfamiliar with this area, so he didn't know where the villages were or what they were called. Even if he were, it was not uncommon for a frontier village to suddenly disappear overnight.

Moving as fast as their mounts could take them, Gazef and his men headed straight for Bennir village.

XXX

A relatively short distance away, unseen by Gazef and his men, a group of people silently watched as Gazef led his forces away from the ruined village and toward their next target. A fairly plain man with short blond hair, dark eyes, and a long scar on his face gazed at Gazef and his forces. He sighed in frustration as a robed figure approached him from behind and spoke.

"Captain, the trap is almost set."

"Forget it, Gareth; the prey is on the move again."

Nigun Grid Luin had done this several times in the past month. Follow Gazef and his men to a village, set the trap, and watch helplessly as his target left before preparations were complete.

Nigun silently cursed that traitor that defected from the Black Scripture. If not for her, the Windflower Scripture would be handling this task.

If things kept going as they were, Nigun and his men would run out of supplies and have to abandon the mission. Perhaps a change in strategy was needed.

"Gareth, have the men ready the horses. We move out immediately."

"Captain, is there a problem?"

"We will never catch Gazef Stronoff at this rate. We shall ignore the next village and ride to the target after that. Perhaps if we are prepared as soon as Gazef enters the village we will finally catch him."

Nigun wanted to try this approach on the next village, but unfortunately, they would arrive there too late. He would just have to skip the next opportunity. Besides, it wasn't like they would run out of village to attack anytime soon.

With that decided, Nigun and the Sunlight Scripture prepared to leave.

XXX

'Well, that could have gone a lot better. Then again, it could have gone a lot worse.'

Satoshi decided to think optimistically as he left the village chief's house. After the minor mishap that happened earlier, everything seemed to go smoothly.

Upon realizing he had saved the wrong village, Satoshi asked for the general location of Carne Village, explaining that he had a friend who wished to move there. Satoshi then offered to help Bennir Village by extinguishing the fires that the knights had set. While he did this, Satoshi discreetly cast an [Arcane Eye] spell to confirm the status of Carne Village. Fortunately, it was fine, which meant that the knights were headed there next, instead of coming from there. Deciding to err on the side of caution, Satoshi sent a message to Jasmine and ordered her to place both Carne Village and Bennir Village under surveillance for a month so he would know if anyone decided to attack either village.

While Satoshi wanted to interact with Carne Village, it wasn't a high priority. The only thing he was really losing was eventually getting Enri to use a Horn of the Goblin General to summon a huge army of goblins. He wanted to observe her and try to find out what the three conditions for that item were. However, it would be difficult to make things proceed as planned and with the actions he took today, it was possible that one or more of the conditions wouldn't be met now. Still, it would have been nice to be able to use that item to full potential, especially considering he had over a hundred of them.

Thanks to the information he received during the transfer, Satoshi didn't need to probe Eric for information. He simply stated that he was a traveler from a foreign country headed to E-Rantel to become an adventurer. He claimed he was planning to stop by Carne Village later, but it wasn't a high priority. By doing this, Satoshi gave the chief a plausible story and more importantly was able to confirm that E-Rantel did in fact exist. With this, he became more confident in the information he originally received.

Of the seven knights that Satoshi's golems fought, four were still alive. The first one who got cut in half obviously died, a second one was killed during the fighting, and a third succumbed to his injuries shortly after his comrades left. The other four were injured, but unconscious. Satoshi decided to order his subordinates to secure them earlier while the villagers were still in disarray and they were currently in a holding area at forward base under the effects of a sleep spell. To the villagers, it seemed like they escaped while their attention was elsewhere. Satoshi decided to keep those attackers alive for later.

Before leaving, Satoshi asked Eric for a loan of 300 copper pieces. Satoshi promised to repay them in three months. Eric originally offered to just give him the money, but Satoshi said he felt that it would be wrong of him to ask the village of something after it had been through such a devastating attack, besides, it would improve his image even further. It took some convincing, but eventually the chief agreed. Satoshi then claimed he was in a hurry and left, apologizing that he would miss the funeral for those who died. As he left the chief's home, he purposefully left a bag he was carrying in the house. There was nothing important in it, just some blank books that he had lying around.

"Now then, time to get started."

Satoshi was currently walking on the road that led to E-Rantel, although he didn't plan on being there for long. After a few minutes, he spoke to seemingly nothing.

"What is your name solider?"

If anyone saw this, they would be confused. However, a voice answered from thin air.

"My name is Calian my lord. What do you command?"

"Calian, I am temporarily assigning you to be captain of my private guard for the duration of this mission. Gather five of the strongest fighters in your unit and have the rest return to Galahall. We will be teleporting elsewhere in a few minutes."

"Very well, my lord."

With that, Calian set out on his task. The solider had an item equipped that allowed him to become invisible, but Satoshi had equipment that let him see past most invisibility abilities.

"Now then, where are you?"

[Enhanced Eyesight] [Arcane Eye]

Satoshi used his magic to scout the area around him. It was relatively easy to fine Gazef and his warrior band, but it took a while to find the Sunlight Scripture. While Satoshi was searching, Calian returned with his subordinates.

"Alright, it's time to get this started. Listen up, you six. You will all follow me, but keep a distance of about 20 meters. Do not take any action, even if I am attacked, unless I give you the signal, understood?"

"Yes, my lord"

Six voices sounded out in unison. Satoshi then chose his target location before casting his spell.

[Greater Teleportation]

With that, Satoshi and his guards instantly disappeared from their location and reappeared some distance ahead of some figures on horseback.

XXX

 **I honestly don't know if the Sunlight Scripture had horses in canon, I think they had some in the anime but don't recall it mentioned in the novels, but they must have some way of getting around. It seems unwise to waste magic just to travel and they must have moved a lot, so I figure they should have some kind of mount and just left them behind when they went into battle.**

 **Also, yes, Satoshi did give the middle finger to the mirror. It didn't do anything, but he did try it.**


	4. Chapter 4

Nigun Grid Luin silently rode forward on his horse, leading his men to an unsuspecting village. He was hoping to complete his mission in the next few days. If all went as planned, they would all be back in the Theocracy capital in less than a month.

Nigun silently scoffed as he thought about the situation he found himself in. The Sunlight Scripture, while experienced in combat, was unfamiliar with clandestine operations. Already they had missed several chances to eliminate Gazef thanks to their inexperience.

Before he could continue that line of thought, Nigun became aware of a figure standing right in their path. As they got closer, he could see the man was staring right at him.

'I wonder what he's doing? Eh, it doesn't really matter.'

There was nothing strange about meeting travelers on the road. While it was strange that he was staring at them, it wasn't worrying. Although the Sunlight Scripture was on a secret mission, they were not foolish enough to display their allegiance so openly in enemy territory. All of them wore cloaks that covered their uniforms and they wore no identifying marks. There was no need to worry about this man; they would just ride past him.

However, as they got closer, the man spoke, loud enough for them to hear.

"Greetings, members of the Sunlight Scripture, I believe we have some things to discuss."

That caught Nigun's attention. All of the riders stopped in front of the strange man.

"What did you just say?"

The man calmly started a conversation with Nigun. Discreetly, Nigun gave a signal to his subordinates, and they prepared to cast their magic.

"I was just greeting you. I know you are Nigun Grid Luin, the captain of the Sunlight Scripture of the Slaine Theocracy and are currently here on a mission to eliminate a target in the Kingdom. I have a few things to discuss with you and later with your superiors."

Nigun was slightly confused at the man's statement. He was either a messenger sent by the Theocracy or someone who had discovered this information using other methods. Neither seemed likely. The Theocracy wouldn't risk sending a single messenger to him and even if they did, the messenger wouldn't be able to find them this easily. On the other hand, his mission was top secret and it would be nearly impossible for a spy to find out details about it. If that were the case, this person would probably be as skilled as the captain of the Windflower Scripture.

Deciding he needed more information, Nigun chose to continue the conversation.

"Who are you, how do you know all of this?

"Ah, I apologize, I should introduce myself. You can call me Satoshi. I will explain several things, but I am afraid I cannot tell you how I know who you are and what you're doing. I doubt you would understand and even if you did you would likely not believe it."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, how to explain this to you? Tell me, follower of the Six Gods, are you aware of the terms 'God-Kin' and 'Player' and what they mean?"

Nigun did indeed know of those terms. He had heard the rumors about the captain of the Black Scripture and the power of an awakened God-Kin. Slowly nodding his head, Nigun asked the man.

"Are you claiming to be a God-Kin?"

"No, I'm actually a Player."

Nigun was surprised at this response. He had heard the legends of the Players, but to his knowledge, no one had seen one in centuries.

'This has to be some sort of trick, but why is he doing this? What is he trying to accomplish?'

"I see you have your doubts, that is understandable. I don't expect you to believe everything you hear from a stranger. However, I have things to do as well and I require your assistance. How about this, if I prove that I am a being that is much more powerful than you can imagine, something that you cannot explain, would you assist me and take me to speak with the cardinals of the Theocracy? What I have to say concerns them as well. I am not your enemy right now and I believe I can help you and your nation."

Nigun stared at the strange man for a moment. He honestly didn't know what to make of this.

"Very well, if you prove that you truly a player and you mean us no harm, then I will assist you. How do you intend to prove this?"

Satoshi gave Nigun a small smile.

"By summoning an angel."

Nigun raised an eyebrow at this.

"Summoning an angel means nothing. All of the ones blessed by the gods can do so."

"Not this particular angel. You will understand when you see it. But first, I should make some preparations."

Satoshi suddenly appeared to be concentrating on something, but Nigun honestly did not know what. After a few moments, the self-proclaimed player spoke again.

"That should do it, now we won't draw any unnecessary attention."

[Summon Angel]

In YDDGRASIL, there were several ways for players to summon monsters. Some were linked to special areas like guild bases, but most could be used almost anywhere. Some of these techniques required on items, gold, or certain classes, and sometimes could only be used a given amount of times per day. However, there were also spells that could summon monsters and these could be used as long as the caster had mana. Some of these spells were quite versatile as well. The same spell could summon a useless level 5 creature or a powerful level 70 creature depending on what the caster chose. For example, the spell [Summon Angel] could summon almost any type of angel monster, but would cost an appropriate amount of mana and, if the angel was powerful enough, even EXP.

Nigun of the Sunlight Scripture knew this spell well. It was the spell used to call forth the servants of the gods. Members of the Sunlight Scripture could use it to summon various angels, archangels, and in Nigun's case, principalities. However, the being that appeared before them this time was…

"No way"

"Unbelievable"

"How is this possible?"

Nigun did not berate his subordinates for their reaction. He could hardly believe what he was seeing himself. A bright light, brighter than the sun had appeared and revealed a legendary creature. It was a mass of many shining wings, holding a scepter in a pair of arms. The face and legs of the angel were not visible, but it radiated an aura of divinity and power. Nigun immediately recognized the angel; even though his mind told him what he was seeing was impossible. Unable to coherently form a proper thought, Nigun just slowly spoke the angel's name.

"Dominion… Authority…."

Nigun had seen this angel before in illustrations and heard stories of its might. It was said to be able to wield magic of the 7th tier, magic beyond the reach of humanity. The strongest angel on the continent, it could destroy entire cities by itself if ordered to and supposedly even slew one of the demon gods of legend. He had been given a divine artifact of immeasurable value that could summon it if necessary to complete his mission. It was a treasure of the Theocracy, one of its kind in the world. None could command its power otherwise.

Or so he thought.

"How?"

Nigun could barely say anything in his shocked state. The being who stood before him calmly spoke.

"I told you, I am a player, a being more powerful than you can imagine, a being you cannot explain. You should have realized by now that I could have easily destroyed all of you if I wanted to by now. However, I believe we have more to gain by working together, and I wouldn't want to kill those who follow my old friend."

"Old friend?"

Nigun couldn't understand the words of the strange man.

"It doesn't concern you right now, but I may explain it later. Anyway, now that you have seen this, would you be willing to assist me? As I understand, you are on a mission to kill Gazef Stronoff. I won't say that it is an unwise decision, given your circumstances, but things have changed. I request that you abandon or postpone this mission and return to the Theocracy with me."

"I cannot disobey the orders of the cardinals. They have given me this mission and I must complete it."

"I understand your concern and admire your devotion, but as I said, things have changed. I doubt that the cardinals foresaw my arrival here and therefore chose the best course of action that was available. Now that I am here, several options that were impossible or infeasible before must now be considered. After all, don't you think it would be a waste to kill a warrior as strong as Stronoff? Wouldn't it be better if he were to become an ally instead?"

Nigun did not dispute that last point. Gazef Stronoff was indeed mighty. It would be wonderful if they could fight alongside each other for the betterment of humanity. Unfortunately, Gazef was idealistic and naïve. It was impossible to convince him to follow the will of the Six Great Gods. At least it was, with the help of this Satoshi, perhaps…

"I must inform my superiors of this. I cannot make this decision alone. Would you permit me some time to discuss your proposal with them?"

Nigun knew he had to inform the cardinals of this new development. This encounter would likely be much more important than his current mission.

"Very well, I have things I must attend to as well. I propose we meet here again in a few hours. Will that be sufficient?"

With that said, Satoshi made a wave of his hand and the Dominion Authority disappeared, fading into motes of light.

"That is longer than we need, but it should be fine."

"Very well, also, I assume those knights attacking the villages are under your command. Please have them withdraw as well. I doubt you wish them to encounter Gazef and his forces and get themselves killed."

Nigun slowly nodded, still somewhat surprised at these events, but Satoshi wasn't done talking.

"Before I go, I should inform you that I interfered with the divination spell that was tracking you. I also had several illusions put up to prevent the angel from drawing too much attention."

Nigun was slightly surprised at that. He didn't know that there was a spell tracking him, or that there were illusions around the angel. It made sense however, his government would want to keep an eye on him and a powerful angel like a Dominion of Authority would likely draw attention.

"Very well, Satoshi, I will await your return."

Satoshi nodded at this and softly said something that Nigun couldn't hear. The next moment, he vanished, leaving everyone there confused.

XXX

Satoshi reappeared back on the road connecting Bennir Village and E-Rantel. Pleased at his success, he spoke to his subordinate.

"Calian, we will be walking for a while. Remember to stay hidden and vigilant."

With that said, Satoshi started walking to Bennir Village.

XXX

"I see, that is quite the story. This village has clearly been through a great hardship. I must apologize to you and your village. My failure to reach this place in time caused so much suffering. The kingdom has undoubtedly failed the people of this village."

Gazef Stronoff sincerely apologized to Chief Eric of Bennir Village. He had just heard the chief explain what recently happened in the village.

After over a month of hard riding, eating travel rations, and sleeping in the saddle, Gazef and his warrior troop were overjoyed to spot a village that hadn't been burnt to the ground. They approached looking forward to the promise of a decent bed, proper food, and shelter for the first time since the start of their mission. Even more enticing was the possibility of getting information to finish their mission or the idea that they had possibly got ahead of their targets. At the very least they and their mounts would be able to rest easy for a single night and replenish themselves.

Sadly, that mood soured once they got closer to the village. There were clear signs of a battle there, burnt down houses and piles of dead bodies. Still, Gazef was eager to get to the village. This was the first village he had encountered on his patrol that wasn't completely destroyed. Something had happened here and he needed to know what that was.

The riders had approached the village in an organized manner so as not to frighten the villagers even further. After identifying himself, Gazef met with the chief of the village while his men rested. After hearing the chief's story, he had to decide his next course of action.

Chief Eric waved his hand as he spoke to Gazef.

"You have no need to apologize Warrior-Captain. You were not responsible for this attack. While I do wish that you had arrived here earlier, the important thing is that we have survived. Admittedly we have suffered a great deal but we will continue on. Tell me, now that you know the story of what happened here, what do you plan to do now?"

"Well, the attack is over and we now know that it is indeed imperial knights behind this savagery. Much of my duty is already completed. Now I must hunt down the knights that fled before they attack another village. After that, I must report to His Majesty and inform him of what happened here. However, my men and I are exhausted from our mission and need to rest. I would appreciate it if you would allow us to stay in this village for the night and provide us with some supplies. I shall see to it that you are adequately compensated for your trouble when I return to the capital."

"Very well, we cannot refuse a servant of the king. You and your men may stay for the night."

Chief Eric extended his hand towards Gazef and Gazef accepted the handshake. Gazef was grateful that he would have a decent night's rest before continuing his mission. He wished he could have met this mysterious magic caster Satoshi, but it appeared that the man had left before he arrived here. Fortunately for him, Gazef would get his wish. At that moment, a villager rushed into the room.

"Chief! Master Satoshi has returned, he says he forgot something here."

Both Gazef and Chief Eric looked surprised at this development. Eric was the first to recover.

"Did he say what he forgot, Lemus?"

"No, but he's headed here now."

With that said, Lemus left the room.

"Well Warrior-Captain, it seems you will be able to meet the man who saved the village."

"It seems so indeed. I wonder what he's like."

The two men waited in silence for a few minutes, occasionally sipping some tea, before Satoshi arrived. As he walked through the door, Chief Eric addressed him.

"Ah, welcome back Master Satoshi-sama. We were not expecting you to return so soon, but you are always welcome in Bennir Village."

"Thank you chief. I apologize for interrupting you while you were meeting someone"

At this point, Gazef decided to introduced himself.

"Hello, master Satoshi-sama, I am the Warrior-Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom, Gazef Stronoff. On behalf of the Kingdom I would like to thank you for saving this village."

"Ah, it's no problem. I was just passing by and saw the village under attack. Anyone in my position would want to help those in need."

Naturally, Satoshi already knew who Gazef was thanks to the information he received when he arrived in this world. He also knew that Gazef was already in the village thanks to an [Arcane Eye] spell he had cast earlier.

"Even so, you have done the Kingdom a service. I was tasked with subjugating the knights attacking villages by the king himself. I thank you for doing what I have failed to do. If there is anything I can do to repay you, I shall do what I can."

"Hmm, there's nothing I need right now, but perhaps one day I may need your assistance. It wouldn't hurt to have the favor of the kingdom's Warrior-Captain. Anyway, I just came back to recover my bag."

With that said, Satoshi walked over to one of the walls and picked up the bag he had left there earlier. Seeing the bag, Chief Eric spoke up.

"Ah, I didn't even realize that was there!"

"It's fine. It is easy to miss this bag. I myself only realized I was missing it after those knights attacked me again."

At this, Gazef spoke up, surprised.

"Knights? Did you encounter the knights who attacked this village again?"

"Yeah, they attacked me on the road. They must have thought I would be easy to defeat without my summons, but I can cast other magic. I killed a few of them and warned the others to never cause trouble here again. I doubt they will want to stay here any longer and risk meeting me again."

"I see"

Gazef sighed at this. He felt no sympathy for the knights, but he wished he could have captured at least one to bring before the king.

"I must ask, what do you plan to do now, Warrior-Captain?"

"Well, now most of my duty here is done, but I still need to patrol the area to ensure the knights do no more damage. Once I am satisfied, I must return to the king and report my findings."

Satoshi knew that the knights would cause no more trouble here, but he couldn't tell Gazef that. He had no way of explaining how he knew this without telling the man too much.

"Very well then, I wish you luck in your mission. I think it will be best if I take my leave now. I wish to see both of you again sometime in the future."

With that, the three exchanged goodbyes and split up. The chief stayed in the house and Gazef left to see his men. Satoshi started walking away from the village, intending to teleport as soon as he was a safe distance away. He had an appointment to keep after all.

XXX

 **In case anyone is wondering, Satoshi is primarily a summoner, but has a lot of other spells as well. In YDDGRASIL, he wasn't specced to use these spells to their full potential, they were just benefits of several classes that he had and the result of several extra slots, but given the power level of the new world, they are useful here. In other words, he has a lot of spells, but typically only uses a few in the game.**

 **Also, in this story, you do not need to speak out loud to communicate with message.**


	5. Chapter 5

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!"

The Cardinal of Light, Ivon Jasna Dracowa, was a man that was difficult to surprise. He was one of the highest ranking members of the Slaine Theocracy and a user of divine magic. Ivon was quite old and had seen much throughout his life. These experiences had helped him grow and together with his deep faith had allowed him to become one of the cardinals of the Slaine Theocracy, one of those who divine the will of the Six Gods.

However, what his subordinate, Nigun Grid Luin, the captain of the Sunlight Scripture, had just told him completely shocked him.

"I said, a man claiming to be a player appeared before me and asked to speak with the cardinals. When I expressed my doubts he summoned the mightiest angel in existence, Dominion Authority, without an item to prove he was a player."

Ivon heard Nigun speak over the connection of [Message]. Although some distrust this form of communication, it was the only one they had to exchange information in this situation.

"Unbelievable"

"This man, who called himself Satoshi, also said he interfered with a divination spell observing me and cast illusions to conceal Dominion Authority to everyone but us. Cardinal, I must ask, was there really a divination spell observing me?"

Ivon frowned at this question. He knew of the spell observing Nigun, but didn't know that it had been disrupted. Perhaps the news did not reach him yet. Either way, Nigun should not have known about the spell, which gave further weight to his claims.

"Captain, you of all people should know that the cardinals would not give anyone one of the treasures of our gods and not keep track of it."

There was a slight pause before Nigun answered.

"I understand. I apologize for my impudence, your holiness."

"Very well, this is an unexpected incident of great importance. If this Satoshi is truly a player, this could affect the entire world. This situation is of much greater importance than the elimination of Gazef Stronoff, so we must abandon that mission. Captain Nigun, I hereby order you to withdraw all of the theocracy forces under your control from the kingdom and escort this Satoshi to Thocus. I will meet you there and see him for myself."

"Your Holiness?"

"We cannot ignore this development. I must see for myself if this Satoshi truly is a player. At the same time, we cannot risk the safety of the government of the theocracy, so I must go alone. You have your orders, captain, now carry them out."

"Yes, your holiness."

With that acknowledgement, the [Message] ended. Ivon let out a sigh as he slumped down into his chair. He knew this had to be done. Thocus was a large city near the edge of the border between the Theocracy and Kingdom, next to the Katze Plains. It would be relatively safe for him there, although he would normally never visit that city, and he wouldn't risk bringing this 'Satoshi' deep into the theocracy.

Ivon would have to check with the priestesses to see the status of the divination spell, and then report what he had learned to the other cardinals before going to Thocus. Ivon allowed himself a minute of rest before standing up and leaving his study.

There was much to do.

XXX

About three hours after he had left, Satoshi returned to the location he had met Nigun and the Sunlight Scripture. He appeared out of nowhere before them, but this time there were four unconscious bodies in armor around him.

After leaving Bennir village, Satoshi stopped by forward base to pick up the captured knights and return them to Nigun. Under Satoshi's orders, the knights had been healed but kept unconscious by Ramiel.

Ramiel was a rainbow slime, a slime with support skills capable of making fluids with various effects. Ramiel was also a mercenary monster summon. He had been summoned a while ago by Rick, before the transfer to the new world, and like the others had gained self-awareness. Interestingly enough, most of the nameless mercenary monsters apparently now had their own names that were not given to them by any of the players.

Although Nigun was slightly surprised by the sudden appearance of Satoshi, he hid it well.

"Ah, welcome back. I trust you are ready? Wait a second; are those people who I think they are?"

"Yes, these are some of your subordinates who were attacking the village. When I repelled them, some were captured, but I took the liberty of rescuing them and bringing them to you. Unfortunately, three of your men died during that encounter."

"I see. That is unfortunate, but not unexpected. These men knew that they were on a risky mission that had the possibility of death. It cannot be helped."

In all honesty, Nigun did not care what happened to these men. Still he had an appearance to keep up and said what he needed to say.

"Anyway, I shall return these men in an act of goodwill. If you wish, I can try to revive the three that died as well."

Nigun was slightly surprised at that statement, but after further thought rationalized it. Resurrection was a powerful magic that few could wield, even the theocracy needed large scale rituals for it. However, a being that could summon the mightiest of angels should be able to use it with ease. Nevertheless, Nigun did not want to become indebted to Satoshi.

"That will not be necessary, if it is needed, we shall resurrect them ourselves."

Nigun knew that would not happen. The theocracy would not spend so much effort to resurrect a few foot soldiers.

"Very well, did you have enough time to talk with your superiors?"

"Yes, I am to escort you to a nearby town for you to meet one of the cardinals. I trust this is acceptable?"

"It should be, but how long do you expect the cardinal to take to get there? I understand he is an important figure in the theocracy."

"Yes, it is as you say. The cardinal has several issues to attend to but should arrive in about a month or two. Until then, we will pay for your accommodations."

Satoshi frowned at that. He had things to do and could not wait that long.

"That is unfortunate, I cannot wait that long. Captain Nigun, I propose an alternate course of action. You and your men will go ahead and notify me once the cardinal has arrived in this town and I will teleport to you when he is ready."

Satoshi tossed a red gem to Nigun, who caught it by reflex.

"That is a light link gem. When you want to signal me, cast a spell of any tier on it and both it and the corresponding gem I have will change color. Once I see the gem change colors, I will teleport to your location to meet the cardinal. I should mention that it may take me some time before I realize that the gem has changed colors, so keep that in mind."

The light link gem was a joke item in YDDGRASIL with very few practical uses. It cycled between the colors red, green and yellow, so some players called it the traffic light gem.

"Mister Satoshi, I have my orders. I am to escort you to the theocracy to meet with the cardinals as you wanted. What could you possibly need to do that is more important than that?"

Satoshi thought for a moment before answering. He needed to find a way to make this advantageous for Nigun and fortunately he was able to think of something.

"Captain Nigun, are you aware of the recent betrayal by one of the members of the Black Scripture?"

Nigun's eyes widened slightly. Seeing this, Satoshi continued.

"I fear that that traitor's actions will have far-reaching consequences. I must pursue her in order to protect humanity. If possible, I shall kill or capture her for you."

Satoshi knew exactly what Clementine and Khazit were planning. He could use that to his advantage. Nigun would be satisfied with recovering Clementine and possibly the Crown of Wisdom. Satoshi did not need to inform them of the details.

Nigun considered Satoshi's words carefully. On one hand, he had been ordered to escort Satoshi to Thocus. On the other hand, capturing Clementine would be a huge victory for the theocracy. After all, she was very dangerous and could cause a lot of damage. As he weighed this decision in his mind, he came to the realization that he may not have a choice.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to come with me immediately?"

"No"

Nigun had his orders, but he honestly did not think he could force this man to do anything.

"Very well, I shall notify you at the appropriate time."

"Thank you for your understanding."

A few seconds later, Satoshi teleported away, vanishing before their eyes and leaving behind the still unconscious bodies of the captured knights.

XXX

Satoshi arrived back in forward base and walked through the gates. Once he was near the guildhall's entrance, he turned to the now visible man who was following him.

"Thank you for your service, Calian. I hereby relieve you from your duties as the captain of my personal guard and allow you and your subordinates to return to your previous post."

"Thank you. It has been an honor serving you my lord."

With that, Calian and the other five people bowed to Satoshi before leaving. Satoshi activated his guild ring and teleported to the grand chamber. As expected, Jasmine was waiting there.

"Ah welcome back, master. Did everything go well for you?"

"Well, there were a few unexpected developments, but everything turned out fine. I have some new orders for you, Jasmine."

Satoshi gave Jasmine instructions on what he wanted them to do next before returning to the sixth floor. He needed a bath and if he recalled correctly one of the guildmembers had coded in several luxuries including a large bathhouse here.

Satoshi silently thanked his friend MasterBlaster for being so into detail.

XXX

After enjoying a relaxing bath and allowing himself a few hours of lounging around, Satoshi decided it was time to get back to work. He teleported to one of the arenas on the fourth floor, this particular arena was forbidden to be used by the residents of the city under his orders. Before him lay various piles of materials that he planned to use, including the corpses of two animals, which had been hunted from the nearby area on his orders. Two low ranking servants stood by the animals, awaiting his arrival.

"Ah, master Satoshi, welcome to the southern arena. The beasts you requested have been killed and their corpses before you as ordered."

"Very well, you have performed your job satisfactorily. Now, let us get started."

Satoshi did not ask for the servant's names. He did not want to have to remember so many names and didn't want to be in a situation where he forgot a servant's name. Instead, Satoshi focused on the corpses and cast his spell.

[Create Undead] [Create Undead]

The spell worked as expected and before him stood two undead creatures. One was a beast-type undead while the other was a humanoid undead armed with a polearm. He then turned to one of the servants and spoke.

"I am assigning these undead to your command. Have them assist the patrols on the second floor and report any issues they cause to me, including if they suddenly disappear."

Satoshi gave a command through the mental link he shared with is summons to obey the servant.

"As you will, my lord."

"You are dismissed."

With that declaration, the servant left the arena, the two undead beings following him. Satoshi wondered what the result of this experiment would be.

He knew that human corpses could create permanent undead, but did not know if it worked with animal corpses. This experiment was to test that possibility. Although undead might not be received well in human society, there was no reason he couldn't use it to improve the defenses of Galahall, given they did not leave the base. That would free up other servants that could be used elsewhere and the undead had almost no upkeep costs, being creatures that required no nourishment or rest. While Satoshi did not have any reservations acquiring human corpses to summon undead, it would be easier not to. He didn't want to go off killing some random villager or go digging up graves where he might be caught. On the other hand, no one would notice or care about the disappearance of a few mindless beasts. The reason he created two undead was to see if he could create humanoid undead from the corpse of a beast or if it was limited to undead similar to the corpse.

With that done, Satoshi turned to the other items in the arena. This next experiment and the results that the second servant would observe and report to him had much greater importance than the first one.

XXX

After a productive evening organizing things and a few hours of relaxing, Satoshi teleported to the library of Galahall on the sixth floor early in the morning. He was greeted by the librarian and his assistants, but politely brushed them off before going to the section of the library with books containing mercenary monster data. Summoning the monsters was surprisingly easy, for some reason it was instinctual. All it took was the data book, the appropriate amount of gold, and a command. Satoshi summoned a level 60 doppelganger and a level 65 dragonoid warrior. Turning to the two of them, he spoke.

"Do either of you have names yet?"

"No"

"No"

Satoshi sighed at this. He was never good with naming things. One only needed to look at his character name and how that panned out to see this.

"Very well. You, doppelganger will be called Saitama and you dragon, will be called Ryuuta."

Satoshi said the first things that popped into his head, specifically the prefecture where he lived in Japan and a variant of the Japanese word for dragon. Let it never be said he was creative with names.

"Saitama, I have a very important task for you to do. In order to achieve the result I desire, it is important that you strictly follow my instructions. Do you understand?

"Yes, master."

"Very well, then listen carefully and do exactly as I say."

Satoshi explained to Saitama exactly what he wanted him to do. Saitama couldn't understand why he had to do things in such a roundabout way, but he knew better than to question his master.

Seeing Saitama nod, Satoshi spoke again.

Once you complete your mission, go to the designated point and teleport back to Galahall. I have another task for you to do, but I will explain it to you later. Until then, you are to stay within the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of Galahall upon your return and learn as much as you can. Do you know the way around this base?"

"Yes, master Satoshi."

"Very well, you are dismissed for now then."

The doppelganger Saitama acknowledged his orders and walked toward the library's exit. As Satoshi watched the figure in plain clothes leave the library, he idly noticed that he never told Saitama his name, but he knew it anyway. It seemed that mercenary monsters summoned by him gained an amount of knowledge from him. That was good to know and quite convenient, as he wouldn't need to spend time explaining.

Turning to the dragonoid Ryuuta, he spoke.

"Ryuuta, you will accompany me into this new world and act as one of my guards. I understand that you have a human form, correct?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Very well. You are to maintain your human form at all times when you are outside Galahall. Also, I want you to limit your physical abilities to a level 30 warrior while outside Galahall unless I tell you otherwise, even if it puts our survival in jeopardy. Do you understand?"

"Yes, master Satoshi, I will obey your commands."

"Very well, now we need to get you some proper gear for our adventure. Let's go."

With that said, Satoshi teleported the two of them to the treasury and picked out a set of low level equipment for Ryuuta to use. He also picked some appropriate (trash tier) items for himself and their third companion. Satoshi made sure to equip a Greater Doppleganger Ring and several other items himself for this mission.

Once he was done gathering his items, Satoshi teleported to one of the temples on the fourth floor. This particular temple had been repurposed to act as an information-gathering center for the Fortress City of Galahall. At the moment, there were about a dozen NPCs operating mirrors of remote viewing. Most of them were observing the area around forward base but a few were scouting further out. Satoshi had organized this the previous night, teaching one of the scouts the controls for the mirror and having him teach the others. Satoshi got the location of E-Rantel from one of the scouts and after confirming it was indeed the correct city through one of the spare mirrors in the room, he teleported to the grand chamber to pick up the last member of the party and gave her the equipment he chose. After she equipped the items, Satoshi teleported the three of them to the surface. He gave a few orders to the commander of forward base and entrusted his guild ring to one of the strongest NPCs in Galahall for safekeeping before teleporting to a safe distance away from E-Rantel.

It was time for the next part of his adventure.

XXX

Ok, I normally don't do character sheets, but I figured I'd give it a try now. As usual, most of this is pulled off the top of my head, so if you want to you can just ignore it

 **Satoshi** / **Cowgomoo**

 **The Player With Knowledge of What Should Have Been**

 **Alignment** : 125, Minor Good

 **Job** : Guildmaster of ACE

 **Former Job** : Loyal Peon

 **Residence** : Fortress City of Galahall

 **Racial Level: 0 (Humans don't have a racial level)**

 **Job Level: 100**

Magician Lv. 10

Summoner Lv. 10

Arch Summoner Lv. 5

Ascended Summoner Lv. 5

Sergeant Lv. 10

Commander Lv. 10

General Lv. 5

Wizard Lv. 3

Enchanter Lv. 3

Elementalist (General) Lv. 3

Arcane Scholar Lv. 3

Explorer: Lv. 10

Horizon Explorer: Lv. 5

Variant Learner Lv. 5

Others

 **HP** : 75

 **MP** : 95

 **P. Atk** : 25

 **P. Def** : 70

 **Agility** : 80

 **M. Atk** : 60

 **M. Def** : 90

 **Resistance** : 100

 **Special** : 100

 **Total** : 695

There are quite a few things to note about Satoshi. His attack stats might seem low, but remember that he primarily uses summons and in YDDGRASIL, he almost never personally attacks, at least once he leveled his character.

Satoshi's strategy originally revolved around summoning minions to fight for him and using the passive skills and other abilities of his sergeant, commander, and general classes to strengthen the monsters. These classes mainly focus on support and can significantly improve the ability of allies.

There are two classes of note in Satoshi's build, Variant Learner and Ascended Summoner. Variant Learner is an unusual class as it can only be leveled between levels 10 and 14, thus the maximum level in this class is 5. In order to learn this class, one must meet certain criteria, including completing several specific quests. The trickiest requirement for unlocking this class is that the player cannot have any job or racial level above 1 in order to learn or level Variant Learner. In other words, a character must have all of their levels in 9 different classes in order to get Variant Learner. Variant Learner gives a player a boost in basic stats for every other class they have; the more classes, the stronger they become. Of course, this boost is not enough to justify having 95 other different classes, as a properly designed character could easily defeat them, but it is a nice bonus. The disadvantage of the Variant Learner class is that once a character learns it, they cannot increase any class level past 10. This is mitigated by the fact that characters with Variant Learner have the corresponding prerequisites removed for advanced classes that would otherwise be unobtainable. For example, if one of the prerequisites for a certain class requires having an alchemist level of 15, then a character with Variant Learner would be able to take that class if their alchemist level is 10, assuming the other requirements are met. They would not get the other benefits of leveling as an alchemist to level 15, but they would be able to take the class. Variant Learner is also a prerequisite to several other powerful advanced classes.

Ascended Summoner is a rare class that very few know about. Most players in YDDGRASIL assume that the Arch Summoner class is the strongest summoner type class and do not know about the Ascended Summoner class. The prerequisites for obtaining this class is an overall character level of 90, 5 levels in Arch Summoner, 2 levels in Variant Learner, and 3 levels in 4 different non-summoner type intermediate magic classes. For the last requirement, Satoshi chose Wizard, Enchanter, Elementalist (General), and Arcane Scholar. It should be mentioned that there are different specialties of elementalists, such as air, fire, water, and so on, and the general version has a little of each specialty. Most players would not choose the general version, as its only advantage is a superior stat gain and at higher levels it doesn't have powerful abilities. It is normally more advantageous to choose a specialty, but as Satoshi only took the class as a prerequisite, the higher stat gain was more beneficial. The Ascended Summoner class provides several powerful summons and related support skills to the player. The maximum level of this class is 5.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**

 **Do you readers want me to keep doing character sheets? I don't know if I should bother with them.**

XXX

Gaius gave a loud yawn as he sat at his post. Gate and customs duty was one of the worst positions a guard in E-Rantel could get, the only one he liked less was graveyard patrol. Being a city guard was a pretty good job, all things considered. It had steady pay, some respect, and if one was so inclined, they could bully some of the citizens, within reason of course. That being said, like all jobs, there were parts of it that were undesirable. For Gaius, one of those parts was gate duty. It was so boring most of the time that he wanted to just go to sleep, yet important enough that he would have to constantly be vigilant, for if anything malicious slipped past him, it would be his fault and he would end up being punished.

"Hey, Gaius, it looks like we have some company."

"Oh, is that so, then let's get ready, Paul."

It was already past noon and while uncommon for people to arrive at this time, it was not unheard of. Gaius and Paul observed three figures walking toward them. The first wore silver armor over is body. The armor covered his appearance, but his head was visible through his open helm. He had a rather plain face with blue eyes and dark hair. The second man was clearly a magic caster, wearing loose fitting robes and carrying a long wooden staff. He had blonde hair and grey eyes. The third figure was an attractive woman. She also wore loose robes and had long black hair and blue eyes. Like the second man, she was holding a staff, but hers was slightly shorter and appeared to have some kind of gem on the top of it.

"Crap, looks like we got some magic casters."

Gaius sighed at Paul's statement. Magic casters were very irritating people to check and clear. It took a lot of time and effort to go through all of the baggage they usually carried and it was easy for them to miss something.

"Well, looks like we have to bring that guy out."

"Yeah, it can't be helped."

In order to assist with checking magic casters, the city had hired a man from the Magician's Association, after paying a fee for services, to help in these situations.

Gaius was at least grateful that these three had arrived during a slow period. It would have been troublesome if they had to check them during the morning rush.

The inspection went as well as Gaius could expect. Two other guards were stationed at a distance to protect against the use of charm spells while Gaius and Paul questioned the three travelers. The man from the Magician's Association was unable to find any suspicious items, although he did claim their staffs, clothing and armor were powerful magic items. However, there was no law against having such items. The magician tried to recruit the two magic casters into the Magicians Association, but they refused, claiming they had come here to join the Adventurer's Guild. After some discussion, the magician dropped the issue and the three were allowed entry into the city. The process took some time, but it was a surprisingly welcome distraction for Gaius.

After that, Gaius went back to his post and resigned himself to endure the boredom that came with his job for several more hours.

XXX

'Well, that went better than expected'

Satoshi thought to himself as he walked through the Fortress City of E-Rantel.

'Still, Galahall is the better Fortress City.'

The city was filthy. Garbage was piled in the street and an unpleasant odor hung in the air. While not unbearable, it was annoying.

Ryuuta and Angela, a level 100 NPC with a priestess build, accompanied Satoshi. Angela was originally stationed on the fourth floor, but Satoshi decided to bring her along. They had swapped their normal gear for weaker, less noticeable gear but even then needed to use skills and items to avoid them sticking out too much.

"Now remember, you two, while we are posing as adventurers, use our codenames,"

Satoshi whispered at the other two.

"Yes, Kaze-san."

"Alright, Ryu and Anne, I have one stop to make before we go to the guild. This shouldn't take too long, but stay by my side and listen to my orders."

Again, let it never be said that Satoshi was creative with names.

In order to create an adventurer persona, Satoshi had used a greater doppelganger ring to change his appearance. This way, he could take action both as the player Satoshi and the adventurer Kaze.

The three of them walked down one of the streets of E-Rantel.

XXX

After about half an hour of searching, Satoshi found his destination. It wasn't very difficult, the people he was searching for was famous after all. Satoshi walked up to the wooden door, ignoring the smell of herbs and crushed plants. Knowing what to expect, Satoshi ordered his companions to wait outside before he entered the hybrid house and shop through the front door, hearing the bell mounted on the door ring. As he stepped into the lounge, he heard a voice call out.

"Welcome!"

A blonde teenage boy wearing old work overalls stained with plant juices appeared before him.

"Ah, hello, I was told the best pharmacist in E-Rantel lived here. I would like to hire her for an appraisal on a strange potion that has come into my possession."

The boy stared at him for a moment before answering.

"That would be my grandmother, Lizzie. She's busy in the back, right now, so you might have to come back later."

"Ah, then you must be the famous Nfirea Bareare, pardon me for asking but is it true that you have a rare talent?"

"Ah, yes, I suppose it's common knowledge now anyways."

"I see, while that is quite interesting, that is not the reason I am here. Perhaps you can help me instead. Would you mind performing an appraisal on this potion?"

Before Nfirea could refuse, Satoshi pulled out a minor healing potion from under his robe. As soon as he did so, the atmosphere changed. What happened next was entirely predictable. Nfiera took Satoshi into the back room and let his grandmother inspect the potion. Lizzie gave her speech on potions and the 'legendary god's blood' and started pestering Satoshi.

"Where did you find this potion? How did you get it? From a ruin? Did you steal it?"

"Ah, no, I found a traveler on the road between E-Pespel and E-Rantel under attack from some wolves. I chased them off and he gave me that potion as thanks for saving his life. He claimed that he was short on money but I could sell that for a small fortune. I didn't know what to expect of it, so I brought it here."

That was a complete lie, but Satoshi thought it would be convincing enough for these two. Of course, they tried to get more information, on this mysterious traveler, but eventually they relented. After some haggling, Satoshi convinced them to buy the potion for 25 gold pieces. He couldn't remember the exact price that they offered Brita in the story, but he was sure it was more than that. Satoshi believed the difference was due to the fact that Brita had more information and he was being charged for the appraisal.

Satoshi honestly doubted that the two of them would be able to replicate the potion by themselves, but he needed some money right now. He really did not want to use the YDDGRASIL gold coins he had unless he knew that the gold in this world could be used for base functions. Again, the novel mentioned experiments regarding this taking place, but not the results of the experiments. Eventually, he might approach these two in his other form and try to help them with their research, but right now, he had other priorities.

Leaving the two pharmacists behind, Satoshi and his companions headed to the Adventurer's Guild.

XXX

Applying to be an adventurer was surprisingly easy. All they had to do was sign a few papers and they received their copper plates. The regulations were easy enough to understand, once he used his translation glasses to read it. Satoshi did have a few issues with some of the regulations, but it wasn't like it was a magically binding contract or anything. Honestly, Satoshi didn't know of anything like that existing in YDDGRASIL, but he didn't put it past the developers to hide something similar somewhere in the game, possibly never found by anybody. Satoshi even managed to negotiate with the guild representative on several of the regulations and get some concessions, such as his team being able to heal people in need as long as they paid an appropriate fee to the temples per person healed.

Once the paperwork was complete, Satoshi, Ryuuta, and Angela left the guild building and walked to the inn recommended to them, and once again, everything played out predictably. They acquired a room, got into the inevitable conflict with the people in the tavern, and easily knocked them out. Fortunately, Satoshi gave clear instructions to the other two earlier to restrain themselves and especially not to throw or otherwise send the thugs flying. He didn't want to end up breaking someone's potion.

Unlike the story, Satoshi and his group chose to sleep in the common rooms instead of getting a private room. This came back to bite him when he realized that he couldn't casually teleport back to Galahall with all of the people watching him.

Early the next morning, Satoshi silently left the inn under the cover of invisibility while the other adventurers were sleeping and went to the graveyard of E-Rantel. There he summoned some shadows to gather information. Shadows were mid-level summons that had no combat ability but were often used to scout areas. They had high sensory abilities for their level, were difficult to detect, and often forced enemies to waste spells to eliminate them. Shadows were useful in this situation because they had the ability to stay invisible indefinitely, could phase through objects (although there were ways of blocking them), and could cast some low-level non-combat spells, such as [Telepathy] and [Scan]. Since they were technically undead, Satoshi could use the corpses in the graveyard to make them permanent. While he was there, he also summoned some other undead and ordered them to hide and await his orders. He decided a few reserve forces here should be useful.

Once he sent his summons to work, Satoshi returned to the common room before anyone woke up. At the proper time, Satoshi collected the basic adventurer's kit that he had asked for and returned to the adventurer's guild. By this time, his shadows had scouted the graveyard and reported through their connection that Clementine had not arrived yet and Khazit was currently alone there. He would have to wait.

Satoshi honestly expected the Swords of Darkness to approach him at the guildhall, but they didn't do so. At first, he thought they might not be here today, but after looking around, he recognized them sitting in a corner. Eventually, he realized that he didn't have as much presence as Momon in the story, so they were not interested in him.

Satoshi used translation glasses to read the jobs currently the request board. Most of them were very basic tasks, but with his current rank, there wasn't much he could do. Eventually, he took a request from the guild to patrol the area around E-Rantel and kill any stray monsters.

The patrol was boring like he expected. Satoshi and his group encountered a grand total of 11 goblins, which were easily defeated. They returned the ears they collected to the guild and received payment for it. Overall, it was a wasted day.

This pattern continued for two days with nothing happening. Twice each day, Satoshi would check the light link gem, but it stayed red. Satoshi figured it would take a while for Nigun to signal him, but he kept an eye on the gem just in case his calculations were wrong. On the night of the third day, Satoshi's shadows reported that Clementine had arrived and was heading to meet with Khazit. Satoshi could finally put his plan into action. Immediately, Satoshi chose a request to patrol the graveyard area of the town and eliminate any undead.

It was time to capture his prey.

XXX

"There's a pretty outstanding talent holder in this town, no? Maybe that guy could wear this item~"

"... I see, that guy from the stories. Still, you could easily handle the task of kidnapping a single, hm?"

Khazit stopped mid-sentence. He suddenly looked in a direction behind and slightly to the left of Clementine. Seeing this sudden change of behavior, Clementine decided to ask.

"What's the matter, Khazi-chan? Become entranced by my beauty?"

"Clementine, someone has dispelled my alarm enchantments protecting this mausoleum."

"Oh, is that it? It doesn't matter if a few mice scurry around here, I can hunt them down for you if you ask me nicely~."

Clementine started to tease Khazit, but he wasn't in the mood for this silliness.

"Clementine, you don't understand, they didn't trigger the enchantments, they dispelled them, all of them, at the same time. Even I can't do that."

"Ah, is that so, then there is a magic caster stronger than you in this city?"

Khazit shook his head

"We can't be sure of that. The person who dispelled my enchantments may just specialize in this particular branch of magic, have a talent or item, or something else. It may also be more than one person. Either way, we're no longer safe here. We must find a new safe house."

"Ah, but what about"

"We can discuss your proposal later. For now, we must regroup. I'll organize my subordinates and contact you later. Still, I wonder just who could have done this."

"Ah, that would be me."

Clementine and Khazit immediately went on guard and turned toward the mysterious voice. Standing near the entrance to the room was two men. One had a toned body, black hair and wore silver armor. The armor was clearly very expensive and powerful. He wasn't wielding a weapon at the moment, but his hand rested on the long sword sheathed at his waist. The second man had blonde hair, but was dressed in loose robes and held a wooden staff. He was obviously a magic caster. Both of the men had copper plates hung around their necks, identifying them as adventurers.

Clementine and Khazit took in the strange sight before them. The man claimed to have destroyed Khazit's enchantments, but wore a copper plate. No copper plate could do what he claimed to do. Neither Clementine nor Khazit would be in any danger from a copper-rank adventurer, but something just felt off about these two. Clementine was the first to break the silence.

"Oh who do we have here~? Two copper plates~? How did you get past all of the guards~? Are you really copper plates or did you steal those~?"

Clementine didn't really expect an answer to those questions, she was just trying to buy time and throw her opponents off guard. Therefore, she was somewhat surprised when the magic caster answered her.

"Greetings, I am Kaze and this meat-shield is Ryuu. My team have captured or killed all of your guards, except for a few that soon we will deal with soon. We are indeed copper plates, but I should mention that the guild gives newcomers copper plates no matter how strong they might be."

"What?"

Khazit couldn't comprehend this situation. He had no idea if these two were extremely powerful or extremely stupid. He conceded that it might be both. He silently gripped the powerful artifact beneath his robes and addressed the strange duo.

"Why are you here, what do you want?"

"Ah, a very philosophical question. Why are any of us really here?"

Khazit could feel his jaw drop at this response; this was far too absurd. Before he could form a thought, Clementine spoke up.

"Oh, just what are you planning to do then~?"

"What we do doesn't matter, it matters that we do, after all, I think, therefore I am."

"What"

That was all Khazit could say at this point, but the strange magic caster Kaze kept talking.

"After all, a wise man once said 'to do is to be'. Then again, another wise man said 'to be is to do'. It's very confusing, but I personally like the man who said 'do be do be do'."

Khazit couldn't take this anymore. He was starting to get a major headache. Pulling out the Orb of Death, he shouted at the two eyesores before him.

"I've had enough of your blabbering! Perish before the almighty Orb of Death!"

In response to this, the magic caster calmly replied to him.

"What are you so worked up about; all I was trying to do was to distract you."

"Distract me from what?"

"The people sneaking up behind you."

Faster than one would expect, both Clementine and Khazit turned around, assuming combat poses. However before they knew what happened, all they could see was darkness.

XXX

"Well, that went better than expected."

Satoshi looked at the unconscious forms of Khazit and Clementine before him. The phantom zealots that stood in front of him after dispelling their invisibility had knocked the two unconscious. Neither of them could see through invisibility, so they didn't realize the phantom zealots were standing right in front of them, waiting to attack as soon as they showed their backs.

'I can't believe they fell for the oldest trick in the book. Still, they were up against level 45 summons, it wasn't like they would be normally be able to beat them even if they knew they were there.'

Phantom zealots were difficult to detect without the proper skills or spells, but had low combat ability. Against high-level characters, they were basically good for one sneak attack and useless after that. Still, they were one of the highest-level demon summons Satoshi had and were a threat for those level 30-40 even after they were detected.

Satoshi had ordered the phantom zealots to incapacitate, not kill his targets. He needed them alive for later.

By the time Ryuuta had tied Clementine and Khazit up and Satoshi cast [Sleep] and [Paralysis] on them, just to be safe, Angela had returned, flanked by the two steel golems Satoshi had summoned, and reported that the other members of Zuranon had been subdued and restrained. Satoshi had one of his summons read Khazit's and Clementine's minds to gather information. Once he had what he needed, Satoshi teleported Clementine and the Crown of Wisdom to forward base after notifying them. He then picked up Khazit and walked out of the mausoleum with Ryuuta and Angela flanking him.

'Ah, I hate to copy other people, it makes me feel like I'm a copycat, but this line is too good to pass up.

"Time to return in triumph."

XXX

 **In case anyone was wondering, the reason Clementine and Khazit fell for the trick was they weren't sure if Satoshi was truly powerful or just a decoy. They were expecting a trap, and when they heard Satoshi mention someone sneaking behind them they came to the obvious conclusion.**

XXX

Here's another character sheet for you.

 **Ryuuta/Ryuu**

 **Loyal Dragon**

 **Alignment** : 25, Neutral

 **Job** : Mercenary Summon

 **Residence** : Wherever his master bids

 **Racial Level: 25**

Dragonling Lv. 5

Young Lv. 3

Adult Lv. 2

Dragonoid Lv. 5

Others

 **Job Level: 40**

Solider Lv. 10

Knight Lv. 6

Champion Lv. 2

Swordsman Lv. 4

Shield Lord Lv. 2

Merchant Lv. 1

Others

 **HP** : 80

 **MP** : 10

 **P. Atk** : 60

 **P. Def** : 40

 **Agility** : 60

 **M. Atk** : 5

 **M. Def** : 50

 **Resistance** : 70

 **Special** : 30

 **Total** : 405

Ryuuta has a pretty standard warrior build. He is quite dependent on equipment in combat, but is not helpless even without equipment thanks to his racial levels. Although he does have one level in merchant, the only thing it is good for at that level is to appraise the value and usefulness of any item he inspects.


	7. Chapter 7

Panasolei Gruuze De Rittenmeier was a talented man of significant importance. Appointed as the mayor of E-Rantel by King Ranpossa III himself, Panasolei governed over a strategically important fortress city. The position came with significant prestige and many benefits. Unfortunately, with power came responsibility.

"Well, what's so important that I had to be up this early?"

Panasolei complained in his nasal voice to the two other men in the room with him. He was currently meeting with the head of E-Rantel's Adventurer's Guild, Pluton Ainzach and the leader of the E-Rantel Magician's Guild, Theo Rakesheer. They were in a spacious meeting room in the adventurer's guildhall. Panasoeli had been summoned here via a runner and he was only told it was of great importance to the safety of the city. Pluton was the first to address him.

"I apologize for the sudden summons, mayor, but the situation is time sensitive. Last night, a group of adventurers patrolling the graveyard accidently stumbled upon a hidden base. They investigated and managed to capture several suspicious individuals off guard and apprehended them."

"I see, while that is interesting, I don't think it justifies dragging me here."

Panasolei was slightly irritated at Pluton for interrupting his rest for something as trivial as this. However, what the guildmaster said next changed his mind.

"From a preliminary investigation, we have reason to suspect these individuals were members of Zuranon."

"What!"

Panasolei was shocked at this revelation. Zuranon was a feared and dangerous organization. If they were operating within the city, it did not bode well.

At this point, Theo decided to speak up.

"We discovered several powerful dark artifacts in the possession of the suspects, including an extremely dangerous orb filled with negative energy. There was also a cache of artifacts of varying power in the mausoleum that they used as a base. We're still investigating these items, but it looks like they had more than enough power to destroy the city in there."

Panasolei's face turned grim.

"To think this was going on under our noses. It's fortunate that discovered this before they took action."

"Indeed"

"What else do we know about these suspects?"

Pluton frowned at that question.

"Unfortunately, not much at the moment. We're on the lookout for any of these suspected Zuranon members in the city in case they escaped, but all of the ones we captured are still unconscious. We're still investigating, but it could take quite some time. I called you here to notify you of this situation and secure your support in our investigation."

"I see, in that case you have my full support. I cannot allow a threat like this to go unchecked. By the way, who were the adventurers that discovered all of this? Shouldn't we talk to them as well?

"Ah, apparently, they're a new team that was recently formed a few days ago. As such, they're still copper ranked, although I think this merits a promotion. I sent for them a while ago. They should be arriving soon."

"I see, I'd like to thank them personally for their efforts. I don't want to think about the situation the city would be in if this"

At that moment, a messenger entered the room.

"I'm sorry, guildmaster, it seems that the adventurers you requested for have already left the city on a mission earlier this morning."

Pluton stared at the girl before him blankly.

"What?"

XXX

'Well, seeing it in my head is one thing, but to actually see it for real...'

At that moment, Satoshi, Ryuuta, and Angela were staring at what could only be described as a giant hamster laying helplessly on its back, begging for its life.

"Craven! This one yields to thee! This one begs for its life!"

Satoshi sighed in resignation as he reviewed the chain of events that led up to this point.

After dropping off the unconscious Khazit at the guard station near the graveyard, Satoshi and his party returned to the adventurer's guildhall and immediately took another request. He didn't want to answer any questions regarding Khazit at the moment and he had several tasks to do, so he chose a basic monster elimination quest. The request simply said to eliminate the monsters around E-Rantel, but didn't specify how far away he could wander, so technically he wasn't violating the terms of the request.

After traveling a safe distance away from E-Rantel, Satoshi teleported the three to the outskirts of the Great Forest of Tob. He wanted to visit Carne Village, but he didn't have a good reason to go there. Satoshi summoned a few low-level minions to do some reconnaissance, while his party searched for the 'legendary beast' that lived here.

It wasn't very difficult to find the 'Wise King of the Forest', all they had to do was make a lot of noise and the giant hamster came to them. Ryuuta easily blocked the hamster's tail attack and as predicted, the hamster gave them the chance to leave. Satoshi tried to strike up a friendly conversation with it, but the beast was too damn stubborn and prideful to respect him. Eventually, Satoshi lost his patience and cast an [Oppressive Wave] spell and found himself in this situation.

"Are you done yet?"

"Please, master, allow this one to serve you, this one will follow you wherever you go!"

"It's fine, I don't need another follower, I need"

"Please, this one must pay for its insolence, this one will do whatever you bid."

"Like I said, it's"

"This one will do anything, just please spare this one's life!"

The stupid hamster wouldn't stop talking, so Satoshi stayed silent and let the thing ramble on. He figured it would stop eventually. However, Satoshi severely underestimated the hamster's desperation and overestimated his own patience. After about 30 minutes, he finally snapped.

"This one begs forgiveness for challenging you. This one"

"AGH, THAT'S IT! [Stun]!"

Satoshi's spell hit the hamster and it collapsed, unconscious.

'Ah that thing was driving me nuts! How the hell can anything put up with this furball? Seriously, I'd rather be hit with a super-tier spell than listen to this thing for another minute.'

Satoshi gave himself a minute to calm down and relax in the now thankfully silent forest before addressing his companions.

"Alright, that was a gigantic waste of time. Ryuuta, you stay here and watch over the hamster. I don't think anything in this forest other than us can hurt it, even when it's asleep, but keep watch over it anyway. Once it wakes up, explain to it that I will spare its life if it pledges its loyalty to me. I will allow it to keep its territory here, but it must allow me and those under my command or protection access to this forest and its resources. Also tell it to not to kill any humans that it finds unless they attack it. If the furball asks for instructions, just tell it to defend its territory."

Ryuuta nodded to acknowledge his orders.

"Yes, master Satoshi."

Satoshi honestly did not know if the hamster was male or female and he didn't want to find out.

"Alright Angela, follow me, we're going to meet the other powers of this forest."

Leaving Ryuuta behind, Satoshi and Angela headed toward their next target.

XXX

Although it took a while to find the Serpent of the West, Ryrayus Spenia Ai Inadrun, it was relatively easy to negotiate with. The creature was intelligent and perceptive enough to realize it didn't stand a chance against the two of them, so it accepted Satoshi's terms of peace. The terms were identical to the ones he had dictated for the Wise King of the Forest, or Beast of the South as the Naga called him. The Serpent of the West was relieved at being allowed to live and continue ruling over its territory, so it freely told Satoshi what it knew. Satoshi already had information on the Giant of the East, but knew nothing about the 'legendary world-devouring monster' in the northern forest the Naga mentioned. He decided to check it out after he met with the Giant of the East, Guu.

As for how that meeting went...

"Muu! Stop hiding behind fake men, coward!"

Guu charged at the two golems, swinging his sword horizontally. One of the diamond golems easily grabbed the sword while the other punched Guu in the face, breaking his nose. Guu stumbled back, his nose healing in seconds, and bellowed out once more.

"Coward! I crush shiny men, tear you to pieces and eat!"

"Oh, you think you're strong enough to break diamond? By all means, try."

"Shut up cowardly human!"

With that, Guu and his subordinates attacked the diamond golems again. The six trolls repeatedly attacked the golems, but were unable to even scratch them. The golems counterattacked, but the trolls healed their wounds. The battle dragged on, with no losses on either side after the fourteen ogres that fell at the beginning. Satoshi occasionally spoke, either trying to reason with the trolls or throw in a snide remark. Mainly throw in snide remarks. Eventually, he decided enough was enough and it was time to end the battle.

"Stupid human, Guu will eat you. Guu will"

[Rot Wave]

A large amount of acid surged forth from Satoshi's staff, hitting all of the combatants. The diamond golems easily resisted the attack, but the trolls were turned into puddles of goo.

"Well, that was another huge waste of time. Sorry to make you wait, Angela."

Angela was leaning against one of the trees, watching the battle. Satoshi had told her earlier that he would handle this, and she should not interfere unless he signaled her.

"It is no problem, my lord."

"Now, that's all we should do here for now. Let's, ah, they're gone."

The two diamond golems had disappeared, their time exhausted.

"I really need to find out how to make those things permanent. Ah, no matter, let's go, Angela."

Satoshi could have investigated the cave the ogres and trolls came out of, but he honestly did not want to deal with the stench. Satoshi planned to let it air out for a few days, and then send someone over to investigate. He honestly didn't think there would be anything worthwhile, but you never knew.

After picking up Guu's sword and storing it in one of his infinite bags, Satoshi and Angela headed toward their next target.

XXX

After searching the northern forest for a while, Satoshi and Angela stumbled upon a dryad in a clearing. At first, Satoshi thought it would be a mindless creature, but it was surprisingly intelligent. The dryad introduced itself as 'Pinison Pol Perlia' and started a conversation. Satoshi was grateful for finally finding a friendly creature in this forest. The dryad was a great source of information, but when Satoshi asked it to tell him about the 'legendary world devouring monster'...

"Absolutely not! I have no intention to send you to your deaths"

"Look, we'll be fine, we're much stronger then you think. I highly doubt some stupid tree will"

"NO! I don't know how you learned about that thing, but just forget about it! Calling it a 'world devouring monster' doesn't even begin to describe it."

Satoshi sighed as he yet again resigned himself to waiting as a creature ranted on and on in front of him. Mercifully, the dryad calmed down after about five minutes and told Satoshi about the history of the evil treant.

Satoshi found the story quite interesting. This was new knowledge for him. Although the information given during the transfer covered all of the novels, it did not include any of the side stories. Satoshi vaguely recalled there was a mention of a battle against a tree monster, but no details about it. Had Satoshi been given this information as well, his actions would have undoubtedly been different.

After hearing Pinison's tale, Satoshi managed to convince the dryad to lead him to the tree after convincing it that he didn't have any malicious intentions. Even if he didn't fight the treant, he was intrigued with the herb that grew on its head, said to be able to cure any poison or disease.

Eventually, they arrived at the location of the evil treant as the sun was starting to disappear beneath the horizon. Seeing the area round the tree, Pinison became worried.

"Oh no, this is bad. It's absorbing life faster than I thought. At this rate, a partial awakening will probably happen with another fifty or sixty sunrises. Then nothing in this area will be safe. I hope the heroes make it time."

"Hey, if you're so worried about it, why don't you just let me handle it?"

"This thing is more powerful than you can imagine! You don't stand a chance!"

"I'm more powerful than you can imagine.. Believe me, there's very few things in this world that can challenge me."

"Listen, I don't want you to die here. Just wait until the heroes arrive and they will handle this."

Based on Pinison's earlier story, Satoshi could roughly estimate the time since the tree's last 'awakening' and he knew the heroes weren't coming.

"Listen, shorty, I don't think you realize this, but humans age as time passes. I don't think I can explain in a way you can understand, but the people you met have likely died a long time ago."

"They promised they'd be back to stop it! I believe in them!"

Seeing this course of action wasn't going to work, Satoshi decided to change tactics.

"Listen, dryad, I'm confident in my strength. I'm sure I can defeat this thing if you want me to. Even if I fail, you said the heroes would come if this thing woke up again. What's the harm in me trying?"

"You'll die, you know."

"I'll take that risk. There is no absolutely safe path in this world. We must take action if the situation demands it."

Pinison thought on those words for a few moments before answering.

"Well, it's not like I can stop you anyway. I've given my warning, what happens next here is not my fault."

"Very well. In that case, if I defeat this hunk of wood for you, will you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"I don't know yet. I'm asking you if you will somehow repay me in the future if I help you now."

"Oh, very well, it's not like you'll survive anyway."

"Ah, thanks for the vote of confidence. Angela, please take Pinison here to the edge of the clearing and protect her while I deal with the tree."

"Yes, my lord."

Angela escorted Pinison to the forest in a position they could observe the battle before casting several protective spells.

Satoshi waited for Angela to finish her preparations before turning back to the tree.

[Summon Beast]

A large grey wolf appeared before Satoshi. This was a Taunting Wolf, a level 25 summon that while weak in combat had the special ability to attract the attention of nearby monsters. It could even attract level 100 creatures unless blocked by a special skill or ability. The wolf howled, causing the treant to awaken. The massive tree in the middle of the clearing started to twitch. The sound of creaking wood and cracking bark filled the area. Six massive branches decorated with leaves descended from the main body of the treant, while near the base of the tree, a massive opening that resembled a mouth opened.

'Wow, that thing's pretty big. I wonder how strong it is. Given the power level of this world, I doubt it'd be stronger than Dominion Authority.'

Satoshi knew he did not have to worry about enemies of that strength. Even with his subpar equipment, he was confident he could easily solo a level 60 boss. Nevertheless, he was curious about this enemy, so he decided to gather more information.

[Silent Magic: Advanced Scan]

Interestingly enough, the analysis spell sent the information directly into Satoshi's head.

"Let's see, Zy'tl Q'ae, huh? So that's really its name. And it's level..."

Satoshi blinked as he reviewed the information given to him. After a moment of disbelief, he spoke.

"Ah, crap on a stick."

XXX

 **From what I know, Hamsuke is a female, but the character in this story does not know this. While he did receive the knowledge, he did not retain this detail.  
**

XXX

Here's another character sheet

 **Angela/Anne**

 **Priestess of the Sacred Temple of Galahall**

 **Alignment** : 250, Good

 **Job** : Priestess

 **Residence** : Fortress City of Galahall, 4th floor

 **Racial Level: 0 (Humans don't have a racial level)**

 **Job Level: 100**

Acolyte: 15

Priestess: 10

High Priestess: 5

Evangelist: 5

Divine Scholar: 10

Divine Master: 5

Barrier Lord: 10

Barrier Master: 5

Blacksmith: 5

Divine Smith: 10

Wonder Worker: 5

Others

 **HP** : 70

 **MP** : 100

 **P. Atk** : 20

 **P: Def** : 65

 **Agility** : 60

 **M. Atk** : 80

 **M: Def** : 90

 **Resistance** : 85

 **Special** : 100

 **Total** : 670

Angela has a priestess build based around divine magic. She is based upon the priestess/high priestess class. One thing to note is the priestess/high priestess class is restricted to female characters. The male equivalent is the priest/ high priest class. Functionally the two classes are similar, but there are a few unique traits to each class.

The Blacksmith, Divine Smith, and Wonder Worker classes give Angela the ability to repair and imbue with divine power certain equipment. She does not have the proper class levels to create equipment from raw materials.

XXX

 **In case anyone is wondering, no, the evangelist class will not play a role in this story. This is just a class that Angela has.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**

 **I would like to remind everyone that at this point, Satoshi is not using his usual gear and is trying to blend into society. Under normal circumstances, he would stomp Zy'tl Q'ae, but he wasn't expecting an enemy this strong and did not prepare. Of course, he does have a trump card, as you will see.**

XXX

'Holy shit, that was dangerous!'

Zy'tl Q'ae lay before Satoshi, defeated. It slowly shrunk back into its hibernating state before everyone's eyes. Around him, four Cherubim Gatekeepers floated, their armor and shields shining even in the twilight. Behind him, a Seraph Aesphere hovered, emanating a divine radiance.

'I can't believe it managed to get two of the Cherubim. I really underestimated this thing.'

As soon as the battle started, Satoshi cast the super-tier spell [Pantheon] to summon six Cherubim Gatekeepers to act as meatshields. Normally, casting a super-tier spell took a long time and wouldn't be usable in this situation. Fortunately, Satoshi still had the Amulet of the Divine Star equipped, and it had a large number of effects of various levels of power. Anyone wielding this world-class item was able to cast super-tier spells instantly without using cash items. They were still limited by their casting limit per day and cooldown time, but with the Amulet of the Divine Star, one did not have to worry about their super-tier spell being cancelled.

Zy'tl Q'ae easily crushed the taunting wolf in seconds before attacking Satoshi. Satoshi ordered Angela to use her strongest defense to protect Pinison while the Cherubim were mentally commanded to hold off the treant. While Zy'tl Q'ae was occupied in battle, Satoshi began summoning a Seraph Aesphere. Unfortunately, the Amulet of the Divine Star's instant casting effect did not work on magic other than super-tier spells, so it took some time. Normally, summoning a powerful angel like a Seraph Aesphere would cost some experience, but thankfully another effect of the Amulet of the Divine Star allowed casting spells without any experience loss. Back in YDDGRASIL, this was not a very useful ability as experience was easily regained; the only spell of note outside summons that it would be useful for was [Wish Upon a Star] and it was not worth risking the loss of a world item just for that. However, in this new world, where Satoshi did not know how experience worked, this ability was extremely valuable.

Once Satoshi successfully summoned the Seraph Aesphere, the battle was pretty much decided. Zy'tl Q'ae did not stand a chance against an angel of that level, and was quickly subdued. Satoshi initially thought he should eliminate Zy'tl Q'ae now, but after a bit of thought, ordered the Seraph to simply force it into hibernation once again. After the treant was dormant again, Satoshi harvested the healing herb before walking back to Angela and Pinison as the priestess dropped her barrier.

"Wha, What just happened."

"I defeated that tree. I admit it was much more powerful than I anticipated, but I managed to subdue it."

Satoshi silently swore to himself never to underestimate the unknown again.

"Is, is it dead?"

"No, I just sealed it for now. I could try to destroy it, but I don't want to risk the rest of the forest."

That was a lie. As far as Satoshi knew, this was the only place he could get the healing herb, so he didn't want to kill Zy'tl Q'ae yet.

"I see, in that case, on behalf of everything in this forest, I thank you. You have saved us all from complete destruction."

"You're welcome. I trust you didn't forget about your promise?"

"Promise?

"Before this started, you promised to do me a favor if I defeated the tree for you."

"Ah, that's right."

"Don't worry, I won't ask for anything unreasonable. I can't think of anything now, but I'll figure something out eventually. Also, if this tree wakes up again, I'll return to stop it."

"Thank you. On behalf of all of the creatures in this forest, I thank you for saving us from destruction."

With that said, Pinison bid goodbye to Satoshi and Angela and started walking back to her tree. Satoshi and Angela also decided to leave and meet up with Ryuuta.

XXX

It was dark by the time the two met with Ryuuta and the Wise King of the Forest. The angel's summon time had expired during their journey, leaving the two alone. Fortunately, the items they had equipped allowed them to safely navigate the forest even in the dark.

Upon seeing Ryuuta and the hamster, Satoshi addressed them.

"We're back, how did things go on your end, Ryuuta and Hamsuke?"

The Wise King of the Forest immediately perked up at this comment.

"Oh, you are naming this one Hamsuke? A good name that it is. Fit for this king that it is."

"Ah, what?"

It took a few moments for Satoshi to realize that he had called the hamster 'Hamsuke'. He had been referring to it that way in his mind for some time now, so it seemed that he slipped. Satoshi had forgotten that Momon in the story gave Hamsuke his name, as he didn't already have one.

"From now on, this one will forever be known as Hamsuke."

"No, I didn't mean it like that; Hamsuke is a stupid na..."

"This one is pleased with the name Hamsuke, this one shall answer to no other name."

Satoshi sighed in resignation as he facepalmed. It seemed that the damage had been done.

XXX

After leaving the Great Forest of Tob, Satoshi and his party visited Carne Village and rented a room for the night from a friendly farmer. Although they did not need to sleep, Satoshi wanted to see the village for himself. Satoshi wisely ordered Hamsuke to stay in the forest and 'rule in his stead' so they did not face any awkward questions.

The light link gem he carried still hadn't changed color. This was well within predictions, so he wasn't worried.

The next morning, Satoshi left Carne Village and returned to E-Rantel, teleporting most of the journey. He was a little disappointed at not being able to meet Enri and Nemu, but he had no good reason to do so and decided to leave them alone. They deserved a normal life this time.

Satoshi's party arrived at the Adventurer's guild late in the morning. They delivered a large bag of ears from goblins, ogres and other creatures that had attacked them in the forest and received their payment. Satoshi wanted to bring the troll's ears as well, but they were melted from his rot wave spell and unrecognizable.

After receiving their payment, Satoshi's group was summoned to the guildmaster's office. Pluton thanked Satoshi for his work apprehending Khazit and his subordinates. Pluton also shared some of the information he had discovered and even though Satoshi already knew it, he had to act appropriately.

"Is that so, Guildmaster Ainzach, that is quite surprising. I didn't think those men could be connected to a group as dangerous as Zuranon. We managed to catch them off guard so they never got a chance to use their full power, it seems. We were quite lucky."

Satoshi had to put some real effort in to avoid speaking in a mocking tone. Behind him, Ryuuta and Angela quietly nodded, having a much easier time concealing their emotions.

"Yes, you were quite fortunate indeed, Kaze-san. Those people were extremely dangerous. The mayor himself extends his thanks. Although you did catch them off guard, the fact remains that your team still appended several dangerous individuals, and that merits a reward. The city has decided to award your team 50 gold pieces for this incident. Additionally, one of the people you caught was a Zuranon executive with a bounty of 1000 gold. Naturally, your team may claim this as well. We are still investigating the items the suspects had, but if we find an ownerless magic item, by regulations of the guild, you may claim it. The guild has also decided to promote you to gold rank for your accomplishments. Normally, something of this magnitude would merit a platinum or mithril rank, but unfortunately, there were no witness to your team's actions to verify your ability so that is the best we can do for now."

"I see, that is understandable."

Satoshi was a little disappointed at not achieving a higher rank like Momon, but this was acceptable. Besides, staying in the lower ranks for a while could be interesting and allow Satoshi to learn more about adventurers.

"Your new plates will be ready in a few days. We will contact you once they're prepared."

"Thank you, Guildmaster-dono."

"That is all I have to discuss with you for now. You are free to leave, but before you go, I would like to ask what you intend to do with your windfall?"

"Windfall?"

"Yes, your gold pieces. That is more than most adventures make in their entire lives. What are you planning to do with it? Buy new equipment, purchase potions, send it to family, or perhaps something else?"

Satoshi took a moment to ponder on this question and find an appropriate response for Pluton.

"Hmm, let's see. I'm not sure yet, but I'll probably buy some new equipment for my team."

"Is that so? In that case, I can recommend a good merchant. What are you looking for?"

"Ah, it's fine. I personally know a merchant who carries some extremely powerful magical items and equipment, but I've never been able to afford any of it before. Now, I should be able to buy some of his best goods."

Satoshi was planning to just swap out their current equipment for equipment of a higher tier from the treasury of Galahall. Naturally, he didn't tell the guildmaster this. The large payment for this job was a fortunate turn of events that Satoshi had not anticipated. Now he could use stronger equipment and explain that he bought it with this reward.

"Is that so, in that case, I won't pry. Thank you for your efforts, Kaze-san, Ryu-san, and Anne-san."

The three adventurers respectfully left the room.

XXX

After the meeting with Pluton Ainzach, Satoshi and his team got into a routine. They would accept a request in the morning, usually monster extermination, complete it quickly, do various tasks in the afternoon, and return to the guildhall in the evening to claim their reward, telling everyone that they had been at work the entire day. Every night, Satoshi would check the light link gem, but it stayed red. It seemed Nigun needed more time.

The day after the meeting with Pluton, Satoshi teleported back to Galahall to stay informed of any new developments. Fortunately, after his promotion Satoshi could afford to rent better lodgings and had a private room to act as a temporary base, allowing him to teleport from inside E-Rantel.

Satoshi received a brief report on the status of Galahall from Jasmine and everything was within his expectations. The citizens on the fourth floor had adapted quite well. They seemed to be able to somehow produce enough food and remained loyal to him. Unfortunately, it seemed that they would need to import raw materials to continue to produce items. While they had a large stock on hand, eventually that would run dry. On the bright side, most of the citizens were low leveled enough that they would fit into this world easily, so Satoshi could consider opening trade eventually.

While all of this new information was interesting, what Satoshi was really here for was the results of his earlier experiments. Again, everything was within predictions. Both of the summoned undead did not disappear and performed normally. Now Satoshi knew he could use animal corpses to summon permanent undead. While this was good to know, the other experiments gave even better results. Satoshi had attempted to summon various creatures using various mediums. While there were limitations, the results were promising. The most notable discovery was the fact that it was possible to summon permanent golems with the correct material. This was not limited to Satoshi; the NPCs could do it as well, although there were only two other NPCs that were skilled in summoning in all of Galahall. At the moment, the strongest permanent summon he could create was level 48 and he did not know how to make some summons, such as angels, permanent, but Satoshi ordered the experiments to continue in the hopes of getting even stronger summons.

With the knowledge he now had, Satoshi started focusing on creating Shadows from the corpses of beasts he killed. Naturally, he kept the ears to turn in to the guild, but no one cared what he did with the bodies. Satoshi was building up a large information network. He would have the Shadows he summoned travel to various towns and villages to gather information. Since they had the ability to use the spell [Telepathy], they could send vital information to one of the operators at Galahall. This would give Satoshi information throughout the country. At the moment, he was focusing on the Re-Estize Kingdom, but eventually he would expand to the other nations. Already, his shadows had managed to spy on the Bareares and obtained information on how to make the potions of this world. They also had the magicians guild under surveillance, so he would be able to learn how to use this worlds materials to create wands and scrolls soon.

Satoshi smiled as he thought of the possibilities.

XXX

"I apologize for the late notice, but I have just received urgent news. It has to be tonight."

"But..."

"Naturally, we will not be leaving right away; I require some time to finish my business here. During that time, please prepare for our departure."

"Then, when will we be leaving?"

"In about two or three hours. That is the latest we can leave before we are shrouded in darkness."

"Hehe, that should be fine"

"Very well then, please begin preparing right away. I must deliver this gold to the capital as soon as possible"

Saitama handed Zach a silver coin.

"As you wish, master."

Zach accepted the coin and walked away. As he watched the retreating figure, Saitama sighed. Things were going exactly as his master had told him. Even an idiot could see that Zach was up to no good. Saitama honestly didn't understand how anyone would be fooled by that act. From the reaction of the merchant who approached him offering additional support, even an onlooker could tell what Zach was planning.

Saitama had arrived in E-Rantel disguised as an old butler. He claimed to be representing a noble family from Re-Lobell and started asking around for some escorts to the capital city of Re-Estize. Several people offered their services, but he rejected them all until the man that had been described to him approached. Zach was easy to manipulate and he readily agreed to escort Saitama to his destination for a small fee. As promised, his master had provided him with the necessary funds for his mission, but for some unknown reason, he appeared two days later and made a minor adjustment to the plan.

The afternoon after the unexpected meeting with his master, Saitama informed Zach that an urgent matter had arisen and he needed to deliver some money to Re-Estize immediately. Saitama gave him a day to prepare, and 'accidentally' dropped a bag full of gold pieces in front of Zach. The look on Zach's face when he saw the gold told Saitama all he needed to know. The plan would work.

Now, having moved up the departure once again, the trap was set. All he needed to do was wait until it was sprung.

XXX

 **Saitama**

 **The Stylish Imposter**

 **Alignment** : -215, Evil

 **Job** : Mercenary Monster Summon

 **Residence** : Wherever his master bids

 **Racial Level: 22**

Doppelganger: Lv. 11

Greater Doppelganger: Lv. 6

Others

 **Job Level: 38**

Craftsman: Lv. 6

Scout: Lv. 5

Student: Lv. 5

Shadowspy: Lv. 2

Metamind: Lv. 2

Others

 **HP** : 70

 **MP** : 30

 **P. Atk** : 50 (varies)

 **P. Def** : 65 (varies)

 **Agility** : 50 (varies)

 **M. Atk** : 30 (varies)

 **M. Def** : 50 (varies)

 **Resistance** : 30 (varies)

 **Special** : 80 (varies)

 **Total** : 455 (varies)

 **Not much to say here, a standard doppelganger.**

XXX

 **I recently came up with a funny idea, but I don't think I can work it into my story. I thought it would be interesting after a chapter where a character does something cool to re-do their character sheet and add a class level: Badass Lv. 1. That way, they would literally 'take a level in badass'. If anyone wants to use that idea, feel free to, I don't think I will be able to.**


	9. Chapter 9

Late at night, on the road linking E-Rantel to E-Pepsel, a stagecoach galloped away from the Fortress City, traveling steadily along the cobblestone road. The stagecoach traveled for about 30 minutes, moving swiftly through the night.

As the stagecoach approached the designated point, Zach gave the signal to the bandits lying in wait. Once he received the confirmation signal, he navigated the stagecoach to the proper position and cut the reins as he jumped off.

Twelve strong men armed with various weapons of above average quality for this world emerged from the nearby forest and formed a semicircle around the coach. Zach had sabotaged one of the carriage doors so it could only be opened from one side. The men were excited, looking forward to a big score. Their scout, Zach, had reported the man in the coach was carrying a large amount of gold. While some of the members of the Death-Spreading Brigade complained that they would not get to capture any women, this was still a very lucrative target for them.

The men planned to just kill the old man and take the gold. There was some discussion on whether they should hold the old butler for ransom instead of killing him. However, the fact that they did not know which noble he worked for and if that noble would be willing to pay for the butler's life made the correct decision clear.

Once the encirclement was complete, the men brandished their weapons so their prey could see. This was a wordless warning for old butler to come out. However, there was no movement in the coach. After about ten seconds had passed, the leader of the bandits grew impatient.

"Hey, old man, get out here. There's nowhere to run. If you come out now, we'll give you a nice and painless death."

Still, there was no response. Growing angry, the leader strode forward and yanked open the door. He was shocked to see the coach empty.

"What the hell! How did he get away?" Hey, Yarrick, we need to organize search teams to..."

The bandit leader started to call out to his subordinate, but stopped as he turned around. All of the bandits that were with him were lying on the ground, unconscious. He started to panic, not understanding what was going on. Sensing great danger here, the bandit leader decided to run back to the forest. However, he didn't make it even three steps before being knocked unconscious.

XXX

'HA, the look on his face there was priceless!'

Satoshi smiled as he let the invisibility cloaking himself, Ryuuta, and Angela fade. Saitama stepped out of the coach, his invisibility also gone.

Several hours ago, Satoshi and his team accepted a request to patrol the area around E-Rantel. He then followed the stagecoach that carried Saitama to the trap the Death-Spreading Brigade had set and summoned a few phantom zealots. The zealots incapacitated the members of the brigade except the one who opened the door under Satoshi's orders. They could have gotten the last one as well, but Satoshi was curious to see how the man would react to the situation. He wouldn't have been able to escape either way, so why not have fun with him? The zealots only took action when the man tried to run.

Satoshi summoned a minion capable of reading minds and got all of the information he could from the unconscious brigade members, including the location of their base. Once he had what he wanted, Satoshi told Saitama the location of the base and then his subordinates tied the unconscious men to several horses and teleported everyone except Saitama to a safe distance away from E-Rantel.

Meanwhile, Saitama headed toward his target. There was just a little more to do and this mission would be done.

XXX

Brain Unglaus walked to the entrance of the cave, greeted by the faint smell of blood. The screams he had heard earlier had stopped, which meant his comrades were dead.

It had taken five minutes for the enemy to kill the ten sellswords at the entrance. This was quite surprising. Even more surprising was the fact that the reports said there was only one invader.

One of the lower ranking members of the brigade had waked him up earlier and informed him of an attack. After getting all of the information he could off the man, Brain went to meet the invader.

'This guy must be pretty strong. His abilities should be around the same level of mine.'

Brain smiled coldly at this thought. He wished to fight strong opponents to become stronger himself.

Brain made his preparations for battle, consuming potions and activating magic items. Eventually, he encountered his fated opponent. It was a warrior covered in armor. There was no part of his skin visible, covered in either metal or cloth, and he was wielding a bastard sword. A mace hung at his waist, covered in blood. At first, Brain was impressed at this figure, but on closer inspection, he saw that the equipment was of poor quality.

'Hmm, it seems like I overestimated this one. I probably didn't need to use all of those items to beat him. Oh well, it's too late to cry now.'

Before him, the large figure spoke.

"Ah, you must be the renowned Brain Unglaus, one of the strongest men humanity has to offer. I am here to crush you and the other strong ones in this country."

"Ha, you, defeat me? That won't happen."

Both figures fell into a fighting stance,

Without a signal, both figures began the battle. Brain was as swift as a leaf on the wind. He dodged and parried his opponent's attacks and easily cut through his armor. The man he was fighting was undoubtably strong, with enormous strength, excellent reflexes, and great speed. However, the armored warrior was no match for Brain. While he was swift, he was not as fast as Brain and his attacks, while powerful, were meaningless if they did not connect. Additionally his technique was poor and easily read by Brain. After the first round of blows, Brain knew he would be victorious in this battle.

"Well, you aren't bad, but you're nowhere near my level. Thank you for this exercise, but I think it's time for me to kill you now."

The man before him had cuts in various places on his armor. Brain's Katana had easily sliced through the armor as if it wasn't even there. Surprisingly, the sword had managed to repel Brain's Katana, but it was obvious to him the man would soon be defeated.

However, much to Brain's surprise, the man started to laugh.

"HAHAHA, you think you can defeat me with that level of power? I laugh at your ignorance. It is time for me to get serious."

The strange man tossed aside his sword and started ripping off his armor and clothes. Brain was shocked to see the appearance of the creature in front of him.

Before Brain stood a beastman, covered in fur without a single scratch on him.

Brain had never seen a beastman before, but he knew what they looked like. What shocked him was the fact that the beastman was uninjured. His Katana had cut through the armor he was wearing easily and should have wounded the flesh beneath, but there was no sign of any wound.

"Now, Brain Ungluas, I, Raga, the strongest beastman, will kill you."

Brain quickly regained his composure. Before continuing the battle, he decided to ask the beastman a question.

"Oh, this is interesting. I've never fought a beastman before. Why were you wearing that armor?"

"If humans see me in this form, they will attack me on sight. While I could kill all of them, it would be a waste of my time. I am here only for the strongest."

"I see, and yet you think you can defeat me without a weapon? Aren't you still underestimating me?"

"I have seen your power and you cannot defeat me. Die, Brain Unglaus!"

Raga rushed forward with a speed that surprised Brain. Brain tried to doge, but Raga's claws lightly cut him.

"Tch, did you just get faster? Were you holding back all this time?"

"Oh are you surprised? Did you think that was the extent of my power? I was just swinging around a toy. My true weapons are my claws and teeth."

Brain now realized why Raga's technique was so poor earlier. He had no technique. Brain finally realized before him stood a powerful foe that he could not underestimate.

Brain exhaled slowly and lowered his stance, sheathing his sword and preparing for a draw cut.

He focused his mind to a single point and activated [Field].

"Well, then, it seems that you are finally taking me seriously. In that case, I will now crush you."

Raga started slowly walking forward. His steps were unguarded, seemingly defenseless, and clearly arrogant.

Brain awaited his opponent to enter his [Field]. He had fought many arrogant monsters before and they all fell before his mighty strike.

Three more steps.

Two

One

'Your head is mine!'

With that thought, Brain struck with all his might, activating [God Flash], creating the technique 'Mogaribue'.

Brain's Katana sliced through the air at an unbelievable speed. However, what happened immediately afterward shocked Brain to his core.

Raga had blocked his lightning fast strike; a strike into which he had poured his entire being into had been blocked.

Raga gripped the edge of Brain's Katana and kneed Brain in the gut. Brain felt the air being knocked out of him and almost lost the grip on his Katana. Raga then threw both Brain and his katana several meters back.

"Is that all the renowned Brain Unglaus has to offer?"

Brain spat out a bit of blood as he got back to his feet. Slowly starting to panic, he prepared his ultimate technique again.

'This enemy is stronger than I imagined. I can't decide this in one strike; I must take his mobility first'

Brain's ultimate strike was blocked again. He aimed for Raga's leg, but once again, his blade was caught and his attack countered. Shocked beyond words at this outcome, he barely heard Raga speak.

"Is that it? Is that the limit of your strength? Could it be that you are not strong"

'This, this can't be happening. I've trained so hard, defeated so many enemies. How could I fail here?'

"Aaaahh!"

Brain stuck out with a flurry of mighty blows He unleashed a combo that would have killed any man he knew. Even Gazef would be hard pressed to come out unscathed.

However, the monster before him blocked each strike seemingly effortlessly. Seeing this, Brain fell into despair.

'How is this possible, I can't beat him. I trained so hard and got so far, but in the end it's meaningless against true power.'

Brain let out a cry and ran. He honestly expected Raga to pursue him, but somehow he escaped. He ran past all of the other men and fled through the escape tunnel that only he knew about.

XXX

Saitama watched as the man called Brain Ungluas fled before him. He was still puzzled as to why Satoshi had ordered him to let Brain escape, but he didn't question his master. Saitama reached for a pouch at his waist and tossed it deep into the cave. This was poison fog powder, a magic item that had a weak poison effect. Strong creatures could resist it, but the humans in this cave would be killed if they stayed in it too long. In his beastman form, Saitama could not cast magic, so he needed to use the item. The cave was currently empty except for the bandits; several of Satoshi's summons had already moved the prisoners there outside. The bandits would die if they stayed in the cave, so they would have to leave and find a new base.

Now all he needed to do was contact his master to report his success and teleport back to base.

XXX

Satoshi smiled as he received the message from Saitama. He had just turned in the bandits his team had apprehended into the E-Rantel guard station. Naturally, he gave a heavily edited story to the guards who took the bandits when they asked what happened. As the guards weren't too interested in the story, being paid the same either way, they didn't question the story.

Now that the bandits had lost their base, they would likely disband or be captured. The effect of the poison fog powder would be slow and noticeable, so the bandits would almost certainly leave their cave base. If Satoshi really wanted to, he could apprehend the bandits himself or manipulate another group into doing so, but he thought it would be more trouble than it was worth.

XXX

After the incident with the bandits, Satoshi and his team once again got into a routine. They would take some sort of request in the morning, quickly finish it, do various tasks in the afternoon, and return early in the evening, claiming their request took all day.

About two weeks after the bandit incident, the guildmaster Pluton Ainzach informed Satoshi and his team that they were being promoted to platinum rank. Apparently, they had killed enough 'powerful' monsters in order to qualify for that rank. At this time, Satoshi decided to name his team 'Emerald Staff'. There was no deep meaning behind it; it was just the first thing that he could think of.

By the time he received his promotion, Satoshi had created enough shadows for his spy network, so he switched to making golems. At some point every day, he would teleport back to Galahall to create permanent golem summons. While he was there, Satoshi received information from his subordinates, issued new orders, and began projects that could potentially benefit him in the future. For now, Satoshi was focusing on creating iron golems as they seemed to be the most effective golem he could make given resource constraints. Mithril, orichalcum, adamantite, or other stronger materials would have been preferable, but those were rare in this world and difficult to acquire in large quantities. While Satoshi did not require an army at this moment, who knew what the future held? One day it may be necessary and as the saying goes, 'it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it'. Besides, the golems had practically no upkeep cost, so providing for them wouldn't be a problem.

Twice each day, Satoshi would check the light link gem. It stayed red for over a month since he parted with Nigun, but one day, when he checked it in the morning, it had changed colors to green. Immediately, Satoshi informed the guild clerk that his team had a personal issue to deal with and would be away for a few days. Satoshi and his group left E-Rantel and traveled a safe distance away before teleporting back to Galahall.

Satoshi made his preparations at forward base and teleported with Angela to meet Nigun.


	10. Chapter 10

"Then, let us conclude your report here, Warrior-Captain. There are other important matters to decide."

Gazef bowed as he returned to the King's side and surveyed the nobles, enduring the harsh glares directed at him.

Gazef had recently returned from his mission to protect the frontier villages around E-Rantel. After the meeting with the mysterious travelling magic caster Satoshi at Bennir Village, Gazef and his men found no traces of the imperial knights that were ravaging the countryside. After that encounter, none of the villages he visited had been attacked and there were no sightings of the knights. Still, Gazef had to patrol the area to make sure they had truly fled. He stayed in the area for three weeks before he was satisfied the threat had passed and returned to his king.

After Gazef gave his report, the nobles were somewhat interested in Satoshi, but eventually just decided he was a magic caster who was in the area. It wasn't like he had shown any extraordinary skill.

Gazef steeled himself as the meeting continued on with the discussion of the annual war with the Empire. He honestly hated politics.

XXX

The Cardinal of Light, Ivon Jasna Dracrowa, was a man of high importance in the Slaine Theocracy. As one of the six cardinals, he was responsible for divining the will of the Six Great Gods. Normally, he would not leave the capital, but the situation this time was anything but normal.

Ivon's slender eyes and skinny frame made him look like a sinister person, but he was generally good-natured. Despite this, he was still mildly annoyed at being forced to wait for this alleged player Satoshi. While this was somewhat mitigated by the knowledge that Satoshi was dealing with the traitor Clementine, Ivon was still a little annoyed.

Ivon had arrived at Thocus the previous night and his subordinate Nigun had signaled Satoshi early in the morning. He could have signaled Satoshi as soon as the cardinal arrived, but it was late at night and Ivon wanted to rest. The travel took some time because as a high official in the Theocracy, Ivon had to be accompanied by several elite guards when out of the capital. They were not members of the scriptures, but they were much stronger than the average solider.

"How much longer do you think he will take?"

"I don't know, he said it may take some time before he realized the gem had changed colors."

Ivon was alone with Nigun in one of the sanctuaries in Thocus. These sanctuaries were simply guarded meeting halls used by high officials. The room was quite large and luxuriously furnished. Ivon's guards stood watch outside.

"Perhaps we should have notified him as soon as I arrived. By the way, how long do you think it will take him to travel all the way here?"

"Well, I don't know where he's currently, Ah!"

Without warning, two new people appeared in the room. Nigun recognized one of them as Satoshi, but he didn't know who the blonde woman was.

"My apologies, did I startle you?"

Satoshi asked the two men in the room, genuine in his concern.

"Ah, no, well actually yes, well actually, it doesn't matter. We just didn't expect you to teleport in."

"Oh, how did you expect me to get here then?"

Nigun silently berated himself in his mind. He should have anticipated this and informed the cardinal.

"That's not important. Anyway, this is Ivon, the cardinal of light. I believe you wished to speak with him?"

"Indeed, I thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Ivon, uh, how would you like me to address you?"

Ivon looked at the man before him. Satoshi did not have any impressive presence and there was apparently nothing outstanding about him. The woman behind him seemed more noteworthy. However, he claimed to be a player and Ivon had to take him seriously.

"You may refer to me as 'your holiness'. Anyway, who is your companion?"

"Ah, this is Angela, one of my subordinates. I brought her along because she has powerful defensive magic abilities. Also, 'your holiness' seems a little awkward for me. Is it OK if I refer to you as Cardinal Ivon?"

"That is acceptable."

Ivon was not too bothered by this request. After all, humility was one of the virtues that cardinals were expected to have. Ivon did not even need to be called cardinal, but for appearance sake, he accepted Satoshi's offer.

"Very well, Cardinal Ivon, let us get down to business. First of all, do you know why I have requested to meet you?"

"Nigun mentioned you had some things to discuss, but he didn't have any details."

"I see. I probably should have mentioned that to him. Anyway, as to what I want to discuss with you, there are three things, in no particular order. First, I want to explain why I am here and my intentions. Second, I wish to clarify what I expect from the Theocracy and what it should expect from me and those under my command. Finally, I wish to confirm whom these 'Six Great Gods' you worship are and if they are indeed the ones I knew."

"What!"

Ivon was shocked at what Satoshi was implying.

"Hm, what's wrong?"

"Are you claiming you knew the Six Great Gods?"

"I don't know yet. That's what I want to confirm."

"I see"

As Ivon was one of the cardinals, he was well versed in the lore of the Six Great Gods, however even he had never met them in person.

"In any case, we might as well start with this topic first. By the way, would you like to call any advisors here or ask Captain Nigun to leave? I don't plan on saying anything secret and what you believe is up to you, but it's your decision who hears this."

Ivon thought for a moment before responding.

"It will be fine. Nigun is my valued subordinate."

"Very well. In that case, I would like to confirm that Surshana and Raikawa are two of the 'gods' that you worship."

"Hoh, you know the names of the God of Death and the God of Water? That is intriguing."

Many people worshiped the Six Great Gods, but only a select few knew their true names.

"I see, it is indeed them. I had my suspicions before, but now I am convinced."

"So you claim to know two of the gods? How did you know them?"

"Hmm, how to explain this to you."

Satoshi pondered for a moment before answering Ivon.

"Surshana, Raikawa, and I were originally from a different plane of existence. I'd normally be willing to explain it to you, but I doubt you'd understand. There were many beings of similar power there, but it seems most of them are gone now. I was once in the same organization as those two. In a way, I was their mentor."

This was actually not a lie. Satoshi, as the player Cowgomoo, was once in a training guild called BASIC and helped teach new players, including Surshana and Raikawa, the basics of YDDGRASIL.

"Oh, you claim to be their mentor? Does that mean you are stronger than them?"

Ivon highly doubted this Satoshi, however strong he was, could be stronger than the Six Great Gods.

"I'm not sure, I knew them a long time ago, but I don't know how powerful they became."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, it's hard to explain. Think of it this way; a student has the potential to surpass their teacher. For example, a blacksmith might have a talented apprentice. Even if that apprentice later became the greatest blacksmith in the entire world, the first blacksmith will still be his former master. Do you understand?"

"I see"

When put that way, Ivon could understand what Satoshi was saying.

"There is one thing that confused me earlier, although now I think I understand it. As I learned, the dogma of the Slaine Theocracy preaches the supremacy of humans and the extermination or subjugation of other races, is that correct?"

"Yes, that is common knowledge."

"Well, when I first heard of that, I was confused. The Surshana and Raikawa I knew believed in working with others. Our organization was open to all races and backgrounds. If that is the case, why did they advocate such a policy?"

Nigun and Ivon glanced at each other, confused.

"Cooperating with nonhumans? That goes against what the gods preached."

"I know, and yet it is so. I believe I have an answer to this, but I would like to hear if you have any theories first."

"Well, you did say you hadn't seen the gods in quite some time. Perhaps they changed when they became gods?"

"That is an interesting theory, but not the one I came up with. To validate this theory, I need more information. Tell me, do you know what the world was like before the Six Gods arrived? What was the status of humans back then?

Ivon answered with authority. This was part of the Theocracy's teachings.

"Before the arrival of the Six Gods, humanity was weak and scattered. We were hunted down by creatures more powerful than we were. The Six Great Gods descended from the heavens and defended humanity. They gave us culture, magic, and unity."

"I see, that explains it. This policy was created out of necessity due to circumstances. It would be impossible for humanity to thrive in that scenario, so those six chose a path that ensured humanity's survival."

Both Nigun and Ivon were confused at Satoshi's words.

"What do you mean?"

"Eh, it's quite complicated, and I'm not sure you'd understand. I might explain it to you later, but it's pretty much academic anyway. Anyway, we have other matters to discuss and I hope that this will not take too long."

"I see"

While both Nigun and Ivon were curious as to what Satoshi was about to say, it didn't seem very important at the moment.

"Moving on, as to why I'm here in this world, I don't know"

"Hah?"

"I was brought here with many of my servants without warning. I suspect it was the same for the Six Great Gods as well. I don't know how or why I was brought here, but I was. There is no changing the past"

"I see, in that case, what do you intend to do?"

"Ah, that brings us to the third issue. Whether we like it or not, I have been brought here and my mere presence will affect this world. Given this fact, I would like to try to prevent or mitigate any negative consequences. To that end, I would like to make a pact with the Theocracy to hopefully avoid any conflict between us."

"I see, and you wish to gain my approval for this pact?"

"Indeed, however, as I understand it, you alone cannot speak for the entire theocracy. I hope you will bring this proposal to the other leaders of the theocracy and discuss my offer. I will try to help you where I can to honor the memory of my old friends, but I cannot guarantee anything.

"I see, I believe that is acceptable for now. How would you like us to contact you?"

"You can send an emissary to my base. Of course you'll need either permission from the Kingdom or a stealthy group in order to get there."

Satoshi gave Ivon the location of Galahall. At this point in the plan, it didn't matter if this knowledge got out. They also discussed the transfer of Clementine. She was currently under the [Stasis] spell and being held in forward base. Satoshi would have her teleported to this location in several hours and remove the spell. Ivon requested the return of the Crown of Wisdom as well, but Satoshi refused, stating that it was too dangerous an item to use. After some heated debate, Ivon relented. They discussed several other minor issues before Satoshi and Angela left.

Before returning to Galahall, Satoshi stopped by Bennir Village to repay his loan. Although he still had a little under two months left before he had to repay it, Satoshi thought it would be best to get it out of the way before he forgot. Predictably, Chief Eric claimed they didn't need it and Satoshi could keep it, but eventually he relented.

Satoshi arrived at forward base and teleported to the grand chamber in Galahall, eager to see the results of his plans.

XXX

Predictably, Jasmine was awaiting Satoshi's return in the grand chamber. She greeted him as soon as he arrived.

"Welcome back master Satoshi-sama, I trust everything went well?"

"Indeed, how have things gone here?"

"We have mixed results to report. The integration of summoned creatures into various machines seems to be viable. Several of the inventions you described have worked while others have failed. Unfortunately, the 'generator' that you claimed to be important did not function as intended. It seems we are unable to build something like that."

"I see, I guess it cannot be helped."

A while ago, Satoshi got the idea of trying to replicate some of his world's technology here. Unfortunately, Satoshi did not know how most technology worked. He had hoped that the availability of magic, powerful raw materials, and a little bit of ingenuity would be able to make up for that disadvantage. However, it seemed that it would take a large investment in research to do so. Critically important was the development of an electric generator to provide a steady stream of electricity. Magic such as [Lightning] could generate electricity, but it was a short, powerful burst. In order to power conventional machines, they needed a steady current of electricity like that from a generator. Unfortunately, it seemed like their prototype failed. Without that, they wouldn't be able to supply power to use other technology.

Satoshi silently considered the irony. If things went as planned, they would eventually rediscover electric power and reinvent the generator. From there, other inventions would follow such as calculators, computers, and eventually nanotechnology. One day, someone might decide to develop an RPG, and then another would make an MMORPG. Eventually, someone might create a DMMORPG...

Back on topic, it seemed that the idea to use summoned monsters and magic to create new technology was progressing well. Creatures that naturally emitted heat could be used as heat sources, undead and golems could be used as laborers and beasts of burden, and magically enhanced items had various new uses. It was honestly amazing what could be done with magic.

After going over several issues with Jasmine and giving new orders, Satoshi retired to his personal room. It had been a productive day and he wanted to reward himself with some time off today and tomorrow. After that, it would be time to make his introduction to the Kingdom.

XXX

 **I don't actually know the names of the Six Great Gods other than Surshana, so I just made up the name Raikawa. I may or may not change this when canon catches up.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N**

 **Yeah, so, life happened, I got lazy, take your pick for an excuse.**

XXX

Satoshi walked down the paved road of the main street of the royal capital city of Re-Estize. He had just arrived in the city a few minutes ago and was taking a bit of time to enjoy the atmosphere. Back in his own world, there were no cities like this anymore. As the population grew, people were forced into more and more cramped living spaces. There simply was no room for single story houses anymore. However, in this world, he could experience things that were long lost in his.

That being said, not everything was pleasant. As could be expected from this setting, the city was filled with poor people. While the most visible people were rich, one only needed to look behind a corner or in a dark alley to find people such as beggars and other kinds of poor people. As appropriate with the time period, sanitation was also a major issue.

After taking his 'vacation', Satoshi had Saitama impersonate his adventurer persona and return to the guild to keep up appearances. Right now, it would appear to an outside observer that he was alone, but he was not worried. Satoshi's shadows had scouted this area and continued to patrol in search of any potential threats. The shadows could notify him with [Telepathy] if they found anything suspicious. Also, in case of an emergency, there were three relatively powerful mercenary monster summons hovering over him with [Fly] and [Invisibility] and if things got really troublesome, his backup could just teleport in.

After the fiasco with Zy'tl Q'ae, he was not taking any chances.

Satoshi had arrived late in the morning and managed to purchase a house in Re-Estize. It was larger than most houses there, but nowhere near the size of the homes of the nobility. After finalizing the sale, Satoshi had a late lunch and then set off to his destination.

Thanks to the shadow's information, Satoshi knew exactly where he was going. He confidently walked through several back alleys before arriving at a heavy steel door. Satoshi stood about 10 meters away from the door and cast [Greater Invisibility] on himself. He waited there for quite a while, significantly longer than he anticipated, before the door opened and someone poked their head out. After the man saw no one around, he shrank back inside and threw out a sack. Once the door closed, Satoshi quickly grabbed the sack and teleported the two of them back to his new house.

XXX

After returning to his new house, Satoshi had Tsuare healed and temporarily sent to a room in the Fortress City of Galahall. He planned to keep her there until the situation in the capital was resolved. Satoshi waited for Stefan to arrive the next day and accuse him of kidnapping, but he didn't come. Around noon, Satoshi realized that he had rescued Tsuare too stealthily and therefore wasn't seen. Without that lead, the Eight Fingers wouldn't be able to track him here. Satoshi prayed that this wouldn't affect future events too much.

Frustrated at his mistake, Satoshi decided to take a walk. He still needed to contact Gazef, but that could be put off a little longer.

After traveling some distance aimlessly, he came across a crowd of people jamming up the road.

The sound coming from them was not pleasant; it sounded like someone was being attacked and the crowd was just here for a show. A few people seemed to be genuinely concerned, but they were in the minority.

As Satoshi had nothing better to do, he pushed himself into the center of the crowd. While he wasn't skilled in traveling through crowds, he did have the abilities of a level 100 character and could easily weave through the onlookers.

Satoshi arrived in the center of the crowd and saw several filthy men kicking and stomping on a helpless boy. Disgusted at this, Satoshi decided to intervene.

"Hey, listen up you filthy jerks, I'm going to give you one chance to walk away before I put you in a world of hurt."

"The hell you doing, fool?"

The men turned to Satoshi and started walking toward him. They all smelled of alcohol and their faces were flushed red.

"Do you want to take the offer, or should I get started?"

The man who was clearly their leader clenched his fist and threw it at Satoshi. The crowd of onlookers thought that the young man who challenged the bullies would be knocked out, but what happened next shocked them.

Satoshi casually stopped the thug's fist with is index finger. Again, even though he was a magic caster, he was still a level 100 character.

The man before him was frozen in shock. He had put everything he had into that punch and it had been casually blocked.

"Well, I guess that's a no. [Force Push]"

Satoshi's spell sent the man flying backward into a nearby wall. The other men looked at Satoshi in fear.

"Anyone else feel lucky today?"

The other men quickly backed off, mumbling apologies as they retreated. Satoshi let them go and turned to the boy lying on the ground.

'Eh seems to be in a pretty bad condition. Might as well give it a try.'

Satoshi pulled out a blue potion from under his robes and poured it onto the boy. The boy's skin absorbed the liquid and color slowly returned to his face.

'Well, that seemed to work. I guess that counts as a success then.'

Satoshi had the alchemists in Galahall duplicate the blue healing potions of this world. Currently they were trying to improve on it with the materials that could be gathered here, but at the moment there had been no significant progress. They were still able to make the blue potion, but until now, Satoshi hadn't had the chance to test it. He used this potion on the boy to see if it was made correctly and so he wouldn't get into a fight with the temples.

The crowd was awed by the selfless act of using an expensive potion on the boy and Satoshi's earlier display of skill. They parted before him, allowing Satoshi to continue on his walk.

Satoshi continued to walk along the streets, ignorant of the man following him. Satoshi did not have much skill tracking people and his summons, while wary, did not intervene because the man was not strong and had not initiated an attack.

After passing several blocks, Satoshi heard a voice behind him.

"Excuse me"

Satoshi turned around to see a familiar looking man with blonde hair, armor, and a sword at his waist. Satoshi did not immediately recognize him, but the actions of the man jogged his memory.

"Ah, well, I, um"

"Is something the matter?"

"Ah, Ah,"

"Who might you be?"

"Ah, my name is Climb and I am a humble soldier of this nation. Thank you for your courageous and selfless actions in completing a task that should have been rightfully mine."

With those words, the dots connected in Satoshi's head. He thought that scenario seemed familiar and Climb's presence here let him realize the situation. Deciding to take a chance, he spoke.

"Ah, think nothing of it. It wasn't a big issue. By the way, since you are a soldier of this country, are you acquainted with the Warrior-Captain Gazef Stronoff?"

"Ah, yes, why?"

"I am trying to arrange a meeting with him. I met him a while ago during one of his missions and have an issue to discuss with him. If you can, will you deliver a message to him for me?"

"You know the Warrior-Captain!"

Climb gazed at Satoshi in surprise.

"Well, we've only met once, but I know a great deal about the man."

Again, this was not a lie. Satoshi had received quite a bit of information from the novels.

"I see, what would you like me to tell him?"

"Please, just tell him that the magic caster he met in Bennir Village, Satoshi, wishes to discuss something with him. My address is"

Satoshi gave Climb the location of his new house. Climb committed this to memory before responding.

"Alright, I got it. Since I've agreed to do this, will you do something for me?"

"Oh, what is it?"

Satoshi asked Climb this, but he already had a good idea what Climb wanted.

"Please train me. Please teach me a fraction of your power. I've been studying the martial arts for a long time and I would like to improve my skills further."

Climb's request was just as Satoshi predicted. Satoshi considered his position and came up with an idea. It would be different from what Sebas did, but it should be beneficial to Climnb.

"Hmm, that might be difficult, but I should be able to come up with something. I am primarily a magic caster, so I don't know how much I can train a warrior, but I should be able to improve you a little."

"Eh, you're a magic caster?"

"Yes"

"But, you stopped that punch with just your finger."

"Yes, I enhanced my strength with magic."

Satoshi silently thanked his BS skills.

"I see"

Climb looked slightly depressed at that.

"Don't worry, even if you can't use magic, you can become a great warrior. Would you like to try? I won't lie, it will be difficult. If you are unlucky, you might lose your life."

Climb gulped.

"There is no gain without risk. Risk is ever-present in life. No matter how safely you try to live, you will face danger. You must decide how much risk to take in life. Is there something you wish to risk your life for?"

Climb thought on these words for a moment before coming to a conclusion.

"Yes, there is. I will do anything for her."

"I see, is that your reason for seeking strength then?"

"Yes"

"In that case, we will begin now."

"Right here?"

"Yes, it shouldn't take too long. Please draw your sword."

Climb drew his sword and took a stance. He was confused at what Satoshi was trying to do.

"Now, all you need to do is walk up to me and touch me. Do that and you will pass this trial."

[Summon Demon]

Although he wasn't proficient in summoning demons in YDDGRASIL, Satoshi did have a few demon summons. In this world, they would even be considered strong. A black shadow appeared before Satoshi. Shadows and smoke obscured the form of the demon. This was an Oppressive Shadow Demon, a monster around level 33.

"Now, come at me."

As soon as Satoshi spoke these words, Climb was frozen to the spot. It felt as though icy razors had imbedded in his skin. He couldn't move any part of his body and his instincts were screaming at him to flee. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear a soul-crushing scream. Climb fell to his feet and struggled to remain conscious.

This was the effect of the Oppressive Shadow Demon's ability: Despair Aura II (Panic). Climb, at his current level and ability, wouldn't be able to overcome it.

Climb painfully forced himself to his feet and slowly moved towards Satoshi. He was terrified and wanted to run, but he fought the urge to do so as tears streamed down his cheeks and his hands trembled.

"Is that all you are capable of? What will you do in this situation?"

Climb heard those words, but barely understood them. He forced his feet forward, toward the oppressive aura around the shadow. Climb slowly moved forward, an image of Renner in his mind, before his world went dark.

XXX

'Well he got farther than I thought he would, is this what is called determination?'

Satoshi looked at Climb's unconscious body lying on the ground. Sighing, he dispelled the Oppressive Shadow Demon, picked up Climb and Brain who was also knocked out behind a corner, and teleported back to his new house.

XXX

Climb slowly opened his eyes and saw a plain ceiling. He realized that he was lying on something soft, but couldn't remember how he got here. Feeling slightly weak, he managed to sit up and saw a man with blue hair and muscular body talking to a man with short black hair. Seeing the second man jogged Climb's memory. He recalled what happened before he passed out.

"Um"

"Ah, I see you are awake now. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, but what happened, the last thing I remember was..."

"Ah, don't worry about it, you just passed out and I brought you here to my house."

Once again, Satoshi told the truth but left out several details. He had indeed teleported Climb and Brain back to his house and laid them on some pillows on the floor, but he didn't tell either of them that they had been woken up by a [Awaken] spell. Satoshi had woken up Brain first and discussed a few things with him before silently casting the spell on Climb.

"I'm sorry, it seems that I wasn't good enough to meet your expectations. How long was I out for?"

Climb was depressed at failing Satoshi's test, but what Satoshi said next surprised him.

"You weren't unconscious for very long, but you seem to have missed the lesson I was trying to teach you. I intentionally summoned a creature you wouldn't be able to get past in order to show you your limits."

"Huh?"

"Climb, it is important to know what you can and cannot do. People are naturally good at some things and not good at others. You must learn what you are good at and focus on that. I see potential in you, but that potential will be wasted if you try to do everything. If you rush in without thinking, you could get yourself killed or even put your allies in danger. You will do no good to anyone dead."

Climb took a few moments to absorb what Satoshi told him. After thinking it over, he responded.

"But, I must"

"For now, you must live, Climb. You said earlier you would do anything for 'her'. If that is true, then you must be prepared to live for her. I have no idea who you are referring to, but I can reasonably assume that she means a lot to you. How do you think she would react if you died? Would you throw away your life and make this person sad? I understand that in some situations it may be necessary, but this was not one of those situations. You were simply trying to get stronger. If that was a real situation, you would have died after passing out. If you cannot do something, then don't. Focus on what you can."

Naturally, Satoshi knew who 'her' was, but decided to lie about it as he couldn't explain to Climb how he knew this.

Once again, Climb took some time to go over Satoshi's words. Before he could respond, Satoshi spoke again.

"There is more than one type of strength. While you should never be overly reliant on others, it would be good to have friends you can count on. A task that is impossible for an individual may be possible with a group. Knowledge can greatly improve your chances of survival. The proper equipment may save your life. You should not focus only on one form of strength., but use every tool at your disposal. Earlier, when facing my summoned monster, you should have realized that you didn't stand a chance against it and withdrawn. In a real life situation, the best decision would be to retreat while learning as much about the enemy as you can, so you could live to fight and defeat it another day. It wasn't like you were protecting anyone at that time."

As Climb listened to Satoshi's words, he was forced to admit in his heart that Satoshi was right. He had been so willing to sacrifice his life for Renner that he was not doing everything that he could for her.

"I see, I suppose that I have a lot to think about now. Thank you for telling me this, Satoshi-sama."

"It's no problem, I was just taking a break from my duties. Now, however, I must go back to my task."

"Oh, what are you doing?"

Satoshi told Climb and Brain about the brothel that he rescued Tsuare from. Naturally, his story was a mix of truth, lies, exaggerations and embellishments. However, it seemed to get the point across.

Climb was livid at learning about the brothel. Despite Renner's laws, things like this were still happening in the country.

"Well, I intend to destroy this facility. I'd ask if you two would like to join me, but I think it'd be best if I go alone. I'm strong enough to get the job done and I don't want to drag you two into this mess."

Despite Satoshi's conviction, Climb could not let him do this alone.

Please wait, if you don't mind, could you let me join you. As a soldier of this country, protecting the peace of the Royal Capital is my duty. If the Kingdom's citizens are being oppressed, my sword must hasten to their aid."

"Eh, I suppose I should tag along too. I doubt you'll need any help, but as you said, we must do what we can."

Satoshi inwardly smiled at Climb's and Brain's response. Things were going as planned.

"Very well, if you wish to come with me, I will not stop you. However, remember that this is your decision; I will not be held responsible for the consequences of your decision. Also, I cannot in good conscience let you go into a dangerous situation unprepared. Therefore, I will loan you several magical items. If things go well, I might even decide to let you keep a few of them."

"I will accept the consequences of my actions. If I don't act now, I will only prove that I am a man that does not deserve to serve his mistress."

"I doubt there will be any trouble for me, but I've already made peace with it. I've been in tough situations before, so I'll manage.

"Very well then, in that case I will put my trust in your decisions. I hope the two of you will lend me your aid."

XXX

 **Decided to change a few things to the story**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N**

 **I fought procrastination**

 **Procrastination won**

XXX

Satoshi, Climb, and Brain approached the iron door that lead to the brothel. They had agreed before they approached to try to keep as many people alive as possible, but if they resisted, they would kill them. Fortunately, since Satoshi was there, he could use magic to incapacitate and bind the employees there.

Naturally, Satoshi knew about the back entrance from the information he was given when he arrived in this world, so he had investigated it and sent several of his summons to block it off; and by block it off he meant collapse the building around the exit. There were no innocent bystanders in that area, so he didn't feel too guilty about it.

Just to be safe, Satoshi sent several shadows to scout the layout of the brothel earlier and find any unknown passages and exits. Thanks to this, he had knowledge of the layout of the entire building.

Satoshi was honestly surprised at how useful Shadows were in this world. He didn't use them nearly as much back in YDDGRASIL. Now that they could be made permanent and their targets couldn't easily detect their presence, they were extremely valuable to Satoshi. Even now, they were in the building feeding real time info to Satoshi.

Feeling in the mood for a flashy entrance, Satoshi summoned a Solid Rock Golem, a level 31 summon, and had it punch down the door.

BOOM

"Wow, that was"

"Not very subtle, are you?"

Ignoring Climb and Brain's comments, Satoshi walked into the building and saw two armed men rushing toward him.

[Stun]

The spell hit the thugs and they fell down, unconscious.

"Oi, what was that?"

"The hell was that noise?"

More voices came from in the back of the brothel.

"Ah, don't mind me; I'm just here to destroy this establishment."

The two men who were facing Satoshi looked at him in confusion. His words and actions were at odds with each other. Before they could take any action, Satoshi cast his spell.

[Disorienting Noise]

A strange sound emitted from Satoshi, affecting both of the thugs, but not affecting anyone behind him. While the thugs were disabled, Climb and Brain rushed forward and knocked them out. Satoshi conjured some magic chains to bind all four of the unconscious men. At this display, Brain spoke up in admiration.

"Wow, that's really convenient. Is there anything that magic can't do?"

"Undoubtedly, there is. At the end of the day, magic is just a tool. It may be a very versatile tool, but it is still a means to an end. Some people are just more creative with magic, but there are limits."

"I guess that makes sense."

Ignoring Climb's reply, Satoshi continued deeper into the building. He knew from the information that his Shadows provided that there were no other men on this floor. Once they entered a large room, Climb reached for a pouch at his belt.

"Ah, I think I have an item for situations like these."

"Don't bother; I've already scouted the area around here beforehand. I know where the secret door is."

Satoshi stopped Climb before he could use his bells. Satoshi pondered for a moment how to open the trapdoor, before coming to a decision.

[Combat Skill Summon: Compressed Iron Golem]

The combat skill summon was a rarely used technique in YDDGRASIL. It summoned a creature for a substantially lower cost than usual, but in exchange, the creature would only be able to attack once immediately before dispelling.

An iron golem about a meter tall appeared in front of Satoshi and dropped through the trapdoor, destroying it along with the stairs and everything else below it.

"Wow, that was impressive, but how are we going to get down now?"

"It won't be a problem"

[Summon Angel] [Mass Fly]

An angel with four wings holding a mace appeared over the trapdoor with the first spell, and both Climb and Brain felt very light with the second.

"The angel will guard the exit for us. Let's go on ahead."

Satoshi silently sent a message to his guards and ordered one of them to stay here in case one of their targets got past the angel.

"Amazing, is this what it's like to fly with magic?"

Climb was enthralled with the spell Satoshi had cast. Brain, on the other hand, was getting curious.

"This is amazing, but I must ask, who are you, Satoshi-sama?"

"I will explain it to you later, but for now we should focus on this operation."

Satoshi curtly rebuked Brain. Brain was still curious about Satoshi, but he let it drop. Right now, they were in the middle of a mission, one that he had insisted on coming along for. He had no right to ask Satoshi questions now and was content on getting his answer later.

Satoshi, Brain and Climb arrived in a surprisingly large room after descending to the bottom of the broken staircase. The three guards stationed there attacked, but they were quickly cut down. Brain killed two of the guards while Climb knocked one unconscious. Once again, Satoshi conjured chains to bind the surviving guard while the three of them ventured deeper into the establishment.

XXX

Stefan Havish, a man well into his middle years, sat upon a battered woman in his favorite brothel. He had just finished fantasizing about several different scenarios and was ready to finish up his session here.

Without warning, the door to his soundproofed room suddenly opened and a voice rang out.

"You monster!"

Stefan looked up and saw a young boy with blonde hair wearing light armor glaring at him. Confused at his presence, Stefan asked him a simple question.

"Who the hell are you?"

The boy responded by running up and slabbing Stefan in the gut. Stefan screamed in pain before collapsing on the ground, dead.

XXX

Satoshi, Climb, and Brain cleared out the interior of the brothel, killing or incapacitating anyone there. Once they were finished, they returned to the room with the destroyed stairs and found two people there. One was a hooded man with pale, sallow skin while the other was a slender man wearing expensive clothes.

These men were Succulent, a member of Six Arms, and Cocco Doll, the leader of the slave trade of Eight Fingers. Naturally, Satoshi knew that they were here thanks to his shadow's information.

"Ah, it seems that the intruders have finally decided to show themselves."

Cocco Doll spoke while Succulent drew a short sword. Climb decided to ask these two a question.

"Who are you two? Are you in charge of this place?"

"Huh? Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

"Don't blame me for getting mad if you tell me at a time like this that you took him before."

"You're so mean, Succulent. Ah, I remember. He's the minion of that woman that I hate the most in the whole world."

"Ah, so that's who he is. What about the other two?"

"What about them?"

"Who are they?"

"How should I know?"

"Uh, excuse me, could we focus here?"

Satoshi decided to interrupt the conversation between Succulent and Cocco Doll. It was beginning to sound like a comedy skit.

"Ah, yes, we probably should. Now then, since you destroyed the stairs here and the other entrance is sealed off, I assume you have a way of getting out?"

"Indeed, however we have no intention of helping you escape."

"Ah, then we will just have to force you to help us. Succulent, if you well?"

Succulent stepped forward to meet the three of them in battle. Brain gripped his katana, but Satoshi put his hand out to stop him from stepping forward.

"Hang on there, why don't we let Climb try this out first? It would be good training for him."

"Eh?"

Climb was surprised at Satoshi's statement while Brain asked a question.

"Are you sure about that? This guy seems dangerous."

"It should be fine. He has the items I loaned him and if things get too dangerous we can always step in."

Satoshi had loaned Climb a Pendant of True Sight, a Ring of Learning, and an enchanted short sword. The Ring of Learning slightly boosted EXP gain, but Satoshi was unsure if this would work in this new world. The short sword had a weak enchantment (for YDDGRASIL) that would lower the defensive ability of any armor it struck, and the Pendant of True Sight did exactly what one would expect. All three items would be considered middle-class items.

"... do you really think I should fight him alone? Can I really beat him?"

"Eh, he doesn't look too tough."

Satoshi knew who Succulent was and that he would normally be a powerful opponent, but Satoshi also knew Succulent's weakness. Succulent split his skills between fencer and illusionist, so he was neither as skilled as a dedicated illusionist was or as powerful as a dedicated warrior. He was only strong because he combined the power of the two classes. If, he were forced to fight with only one of the two classes, his combat ability would drastically drop.

This was the reason Satoshi had loaned Climb the Pendant of True Sight. With the passive ability to see past illusions it granted, Climb was at a significant advantage in this fight. When only considering fighting classes, Climb was stronger than Succulent. In addition, as long as Succulent did not realize his illusions were useless, he would be at an even further disadvantage.

"Don't worry, we'll assist you if you get into trouble. I'll also keep the other guy from interfering."

Succulent pointed his short sword at Climb and dashed forward. While everyone else was distracted, Satoshi cast a spell.

[Silent Magic: Paralysis]

Unseen by the others, Cocco Doll was hit by the spell and rendered unable to move. Meanwhile, Climb parried Succulent's lunge.

"Huh?"

Succulent was confused at this outcome. He had used invisibility and an illusion to make it appear that he was attacking with an overhead swing, but somehow, his real attack was blocked.

Climb took advantage of Succulent's confusion and stabbed his sword into Succulent's chest. Succulent's orichalcum chain shirt absorbed most of the impact, but he still felt some pain and was knocked on his back. Unbeknownst to Succulent, the enchantment of the sword activated and weakened the chain shirt.

Succulent expertly rolled back into an upright position as he recovered from the attack. He wasn't badly injured, but his pride had taken a hit. With renewed motivation, Succulent readied his sword and silently cast another illusion. Once his preparations were ready, Succulent dashed forward again. This time, he stopped about two meters away from Climb and tried to flank him.

Climb clearly saw a blurry image of Succulent stab his sword at his chest while another clear image of him moved to his right. Satoshi had told Climb about the basic powers of the items he had loaned them, so Climb knew what was happening now.

"So, you use illusions!"

Succulent was surprised at Climb's declaration and hesitated for a moment before lunging once more. Climb sidestepped the lunge and stabbed Succulent in the arm. Feeling the pain course from the wound Climb had inflicted, Succulent quickly cast his [Fox Sleep] illusion, showing Climb an image of him collapsed in pain on the floor while he quickly backed away.

Succulent considered his position for a moment. The boy was stronger than he anticipated and he still had to deal with the other two. Furthermore, his primary arm was injured and while he could still wield his sword, his attack power would be weakened from using his off-hand. Although it was risky, Succulent decided to eliminate the two in the back first. With any luck, he would be able to stab both of them before the boy realized what was happening and catch Climb off guard.

However, before Succulent could try his plan, Climb dashed forward and launched a powerful downward strike. This strike was his trump card, an attack he had confidence in. Succulent was too surprised at the sudden charge to muster any sort of defense, and the strike cleaved through his weakened orichalcum chain shirt, leaving a deep wound in his shoulder.

"AAAAHHH!"

Succulent screamed in pain before passing out. The wound was clearly mortal and Succulent would die if not given treatment soon. Satoshi smiled at this result before pointing a finger at Cocco Doll.

[Stun]

As Cocco Doll was already paralyzed, he was unable to avoid Satoshi's spell and knocked unconscious. Satoshi then summoned a medic fairy to heal Succulent enough that he wouldn't be in danger of dying and bound both of them with magic chains.

"Well, I think that covers about everything here, Climb-kun, could I trouble you to inform the guards while Brain-san and I guard this building."

"Ah, yes, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Very well then, also, don't forget to tell them to bring some sort of ladder and something to tie these people up with. I won't be here forever to fly people and the magic chains only last about four hours."

One casting of [Mass Fly] later, the three of them were back on the main floor. Climb left to get some guards and returned about half an hour later.

"Well then, I think I should be going for now. Climb-kun, Brain-san, I will need the items I loaned you back."

"Ah, of course"

Climb returned the Pendant of True sight, Ring of Learning, and the short sword. Brain returned the Pendant of Regeneration and Unicorn's ring that Satoshi had loaned him.

Incidentally, Satoshi had explained the effect of the Pendant of Regeneration as a weaker version of the Kingdom's Amulet of the Immortal and the Unicorn's ring as a ring that increased resistance to poison.

"Well then, I thank the two of you for your assistance. I trust you will be able to pass my message to Stronoff-san?"

While discussing things earlier, Satoshi had made it known that he wished for an audience with Gazef Stronoff. Brain had revealed that he was currently living at the Warrior-Captains house and would pass the message along for Satoshi.

"Ah, don't worry; I'll give Stronoff-san the message. Also, thank you Satoshi-san, you've given me many things to think about."

"Don't worry about it Brain-san. I trust that you'll find your own path in life. Remember what I told you and you should be fine."

"Thanks"

With that said, Brain and Satoshi went their separate ways, leaving Climb to finish up at the brothel. Satoshi smiled as he imagined what would happen to the two of them now that he had changed their fates.

XXX

A/N

Hey, thought I'd give a character sheet here, but I don't have any new characters to introduce. Therefore, I'd like to just introduce a character who existed in this story. This person won't be appearing in this fic, so feel free to skip this section if you're not interested; it's just random trivia that I added. I thought up this character and build a while ago, but I couldn't find a way to fit him into this story or any story I can think of. However, I did just make up the name on the spot, so don't expect much from that. I also suck at naming.

 **Saberstar**

 **Smith of Legend**

 **Alignment** : 25, Neutral

 **Job** : Member of ACE

 **Residence** : Hokkaido/Fortress City of Galahall (in game)

 **Racial Level 0** (Humanoids/Dwarves don't have a Racial Level)

 **Job Level: 100**

Blacksmith: Lv. 15

Advanced Smith: Lv. 10

Acolyte: Lv. 5

Sage: Lv. 10

Magic Knight: Lv. 5

Divine Scholar: Lv. 10

Divine Smith: Lv. 10

Wonder Worker: Lv. 5

Arcane Scholar: Lv. 10

Arcane Smith: Lv. 10

Marvel Worker: Lv. 5

Hammer of Creation: Lv. 5

 **HP** : 80

 **MP** : 80

 **P. Atk** : 70

 **P. Def** : 80

 **Agility** : 30

 **M. Atk** : 70

 **M. Def** : 80

 **Resistance** : 70

 **Special** : 100

 **Total** : 660

 **Yes, I did use all 100 levels on this sheet.**

 **Saberstar, while having decent stats, is not very impressive in a combat situation. He can fill almost any role decently, but not nearly as well as others. His character was built to be a powerful crafter, not a fighter.**

 **Saberstar's most notable class is Hammer of Creation. The prerequisites for this class is a level 96 character (that is you can take the class at level 96), 5 levels in Wonder Worker, 5 levels in Marvel Worker, and 10 levels in Advanced Smith. Additionally, a player must complete a specific quest prior to level 80 and cannot have any levels in the Master Smith class. It should be mentioned that the character does not need to be a dwarf race to get this class.**

 **Due to the difficulty of obtaining this class and the unusual criteria that must be met, many within ACE who knew about it speculated that Saberstar had some insider information on the game and built his character around obtaining this class. The truth however, is that he got lucky. He simply decided to wait until his last five levels to take Master Smith, but unlocked Hammer of Creation instead.**

 **Hammer of Creation is arguably the ultimate smith class in the game. A player with this class (and its prerequisites) can create an item that is effectively up to two tiers higher than what it would be otherwise. For example, a Hammer of Creation can create a high-class item with stats comparable to a legacy-class item. This effect diminishes as one creates stronger items. Using rare and powerful materials necessary to create a divine-class item would create an item that is stronger than an average divine-class item but weaker than a Guild Weapon. If a Hammer of Creation used materials created and refined by a player with the Forge of Infinity class (ultimate forging/refining class, restricted to Golem-race characters), it is possible to create items with stats that are almost comparable to guild weapons. However, as no player had discovered the Forge of Infinity class at the time of YDDGRASIL's shutdown, no such items were created.**

 **Interestingly enough the Hammer of Creation class was necessary to obtain a certain World-class item. If 4 players, one with the Hammer of Creation class, one with the Forge of Infinity class, one with the Distiller of Eternity class (ultimate alchemist class), and one with the Imbuer of Destiny class (ultimate enchanter class), worked together, they would have been able to create the World-class item the Mythic Gem. Once this item is created, any further attempts to create such an item will result in the creation of an item that is slightly stronger than a guild weapon, but significantly weaker than World-class items. The Mythic Gem is one of 37 World-class items in YDDGRASIL that were never obtained by players.**

 **Saberstar made many of the items that the guild members of ACE used, including most of Satoshi's/Cowgomoo's main equipment. He quit YDDGRASIL shortly after the developers announced it was shutting down.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**

 **Hi, I'm not dead yet, just lazy.**

XXX

Late at night, a group of five suspicious individuals stood in front of the destroyed brothel. They seemed to blend into the darkness. All five were outfitted differently, but anyone in their presence could tell that they were dangerous.

Normally, this area would be swarming with guards, even with everything and everyone there seized, but there was nobody here. The five people had used their influence to remove the guards stationed here.

"This is too big to be a mere joke. I need to apologize to Cocco Doll. I can't believe Succulent was defeated so easily, and on the day I sent him over. What a farce."

The stout, muscular man at the front of the group, Zero spoke. Behind him, someone laughed.

"Ah, well, so what should we do now boss? Should we kill Succulent, since he got captured?"

"No, we still need him. I need to find out what happened here. I know how they destroyed the door, but how did they get the stairs?"

"Eh, how did they destroy the door, boss? I doubt they used a weapon, was it magic?

The effete-looking pretty boy standing in the middle of the group, Malmvist, asked Zero.

"It was a fist."

The other four looked at Zero in confusion. Zero repeated himself, confident in his analysis.

"Fists, well, that's quite something."

"... Don't be foolish, this is nothing"

Zero took a breath and punched the door. The fist went straight through the door, leaving a mark similar to the one the Solid Rock Golem had left, albeit much smaller.

Malmvist spoke up once more, somewhat in disbelief.

"Well, you're not a good comparison, boss. Still, our enemy can break down a steel-reinforced door with a giant fist and defeat one of the Six Arms. While Succulent was the weakest of us, he is still one of the Six Arms. Should we consider this person a dangerous enemy then?"

"The size of the fist means nothing. What matters is the power behind it. Also, Succulent is not very powerful once you see past his illusions. We cannot be sure that this enemy is powerful just from this. That said, someone has dared to oppose us. We must destroy them with all of our might, or our value will drop."

Snickers arose from the gathered people.

"Well then, boss, how should we handle this?"

"First, we'll get Succulent out and find out what happened here. Then we will make the ones responsible for this suffer."

XXX

The following day, Satoshi arrived at Gazef's residence late in the morning. It was much smaller than the noble residences, but it was more than enough for Gazef and his servants.

Early that morning, Satoshi had received a message from Brain that Gazef wish to meet him a little before noon. Satoshi had already mentioned that he knew where Gazef's house was located. Satoshi explained this as being well informed about the warrior-captain, but in reality, he had received this information from his shadows.

Once again, the information he was given when he arrived in this world lacked details.

"Ah, Satoshi-san, it is good to see you again. I trust you are doing well?"

Gazef greeted Satoshi as he entered the house. The two of them were alone in the house; Brain and Gazef's servants had gone out for some errands.

"Ah, yes, I am doing fine. Thank you for agreeing to see me Gazef-san, or would you prefer me to refer to you as Warrior-Captain-san?"

"Either is fine with me"

Gazef lead Satoshi to a wide room used to meet with guests. Both men took a seat.

"Very well, Stronoff-san, then, let us get to the reason that I am here. First, to get things straight, I believe you may have the wrong impression of me and my situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I arrived at Bennir Village, I told the people there that I was a traveler who was just passing by and saved the village. While this is technically correct, there is much more to it than that."

"What more is there?"

"Well, to start, I am not from anywhere around this area. I doubt I am from the same world or plane of existence. To put it simply, I, and those I rule over were accidently teleported to this area. I would give you more details, but I'd prefer not to repeat this and would like to meet with an official with this country and tell all of you at the same time."

"Teleported you say?"

Gazef was surprised at this. Long distance teleportation was high tier magic that few could use in this world.

"Yes, I will go into more details later, but for now I wish to ensure that our people do not come into conflict with each other."

"I see."

Gazef was still somewhat in disbelief at what Satoshi was saying.

"Ah, to that extent, I would like to meet with a representative of this country, either its king or someone who can act on his behalf, do discuss several matters. Currently we, the Fortress City of Galahall, have no way to return to our original location and are unlikely to discover a way in the near future. Therefore, I would like to peacefully coexist with the people here instead of come into needless conflict. To that end, we should come to an agreement on what we expect from each other, what is acceptable, and what is not acceptable. Naturally, there are some things we cannot compromise on, but most issues we can negotiate on."

"Well, I will see what I can do, Satoshi-sama. I must say, that is quite the surprising tale you have told me."

"You believe me?"

"Well, there are many strange and unbelievable things in this world. Only a fool would refuse to believe something simply because it sounds unlikely."

Satoshi smiled at Gazef's answer.

"Well, you have quite the open mind. I had anticipated that you wouldn't believe me and ask for proof, but it seems that I've misjudged you. I trust you will arrange a proper meeting later, but for now, I believe we have more pressing matters. I trust Brain-san has informed you of the events that occurred yesterday?"

Satoshi had asked Brain to inform Gazef about their attack on the brothel, but to not tell anyone else.

"Yes, I was quite impressed at your actions. The Kingdom is a better place with the Eight Fingers weakened."

"Eight Fingers, is that the name of the organization that controlled that brothel?"

"Ah, yes, did you not know that, Satoshi-san?"

"I simply saw a shady establishment that was clearly breaking several of the laws of this country and took action against it."

Satoshi did know how the Eight Fingers and Six Arms were, but he didn't need to tell Gazef that.

"I see, in that case I believe I should inform you that you have attacked an establishment belonging to the strongest and most despicable criminal organization in Re-Estize."

"Yes, during my investigations, I did come across the name 'Eight Fingers' several times, but I don't have much information on them."

"Well, they are a criminal organization. It would be difficult to obtain detailed information about them. I will share what I know about them so you know more about the situation."

Gazef explained to Satoshi about the Eight Fingers. Most of this was information he already knew, but he did learn a few new things.

"I see, that is quite troublesome. So then, it will be impossible to defeat them without getting your hands dirty. Now then, Gazef-san, what are your thoughts on this matter? How do you think we should proceed? Will you ignore this problem, try to solve it yourself, ask for my assistance, or perhaps something else?"

Gazef looked slightly surprised at this.

"Oh, I thought I would have a hard time bringing it up. Indeed, you are correct, Satoshi-san, I would like to request your assistance in this matter. Would you be willing to assist me and several allies with handling this issue?"

Satoshi had a hunch that this was coming, so he had an answer ready.

"I see, unfortunately, I cannot assist you as a representative of Galahall until we have an agreement with your country."

Gazef looked slightly disappointed at that response, but before he could reply, Satoshi continued.

"That being said, while I am the leader of Galahall, I have the freedom to act on my own. If you wish, I am willing to lend my personal assistance to you."

At this, Gazef looked grateful.

"Very well, then. In that case, I hope you will assist us in defeating the scum of the Kingdom."

After reaching an accord, Gazef and Satoshi decided when to meet and then decided to share a drink and talk for a while longer, sharing stories of their past. The alcohol that Gazef brought out wasn't very good, but Satoshi didn't complain, wanting to try new things, although he didn't finish the entire cup. Naturally, Satoshi edited parts of his stories so that it would be believable to Gazef. He somehow even managed to convince Gazef that there were 'weak' versions of several monsters such as dragons, giants, and basilisk, all of which could be defeated by 2nd tier magic, that existed in his homeland. After an hour had passed the two of them then left Gazef's house, Gazef left to meet his allies and Satoshi stopped by his house.

XXX

Later that night, Satoshi approached the building that Gazef mentioned earlier. After giving the guards a password, he entered the building and found his way to a large meeting room. There were quite a few people in the room and one familiar figure with black armor and blonde-brown hair approached him.

"Ah, Satoshi-sama, it is good to see you here."

"Hello, Climb, I trust I am not late?"

"Yeah, we haven't started yet."

"Ah, is Brain-san here as well?"

"Yes, he's right there, talking with Gagaran-san."

Climb pointed toward one of the walls, where Satoshi saw Brain standing next to a large muscle-bound woman.

'Huh, so that's what she looks like.'

Satoshi was silently thankful that he knew Renner was in an adjacent room from his shadows. He had no interest in talking to her and wanted to avoid contact as long as possible.

As Satoshi was lost in thought, committing to memory the appearances of the important figures in the room, Lakyus spoke up to gat everyone's attention and explained the objectives of the night's mission. Once everyone had their orders, they set out. Satoshi was assigned to Climb's group, which actually worked out for him.

XXX

"Wait! Wait! It's me, I'm back."

The invisible thief identified himself in a panicked voice as Brain prepared to strike him down.

Things had gone exactly as Satoshi expected from there. They had approached their target and sent Lockmeyer the thief to scout ahead. After the incident with Brain, he explained what he saw.

"That's, well, it's terrible, but it's also pretty fortunate. Since they're all here, that means the others can easily take down the other locations. "

"Then, what should we do?"

"What can we do? We can't attack this place. Let's fall back."

After a bit of discussion, it was decided that they would fall back and inform the others of this development. They would take down the other areas first and come back to finish the Six Arms with their full strength. However, before they withdrew, Satoshi convinced them to at least scout out the area so they know the terrain. After a few minutes, Lockmeyer came back with surprising news.

"Leader, something's up!"

"What is it? Were you spotted?"

"No, it looks like a battle took place in there! I saw several guards knocked unconscious, so I checked inside. I think I saw several of the Six Arms either dead or unconscious and burn marks and other signs of battle!"

"What!"

Climb could barely contain his voice. He was shocked that there was a group that could defeat the Six Arms, individuals said to be on par with Adamantium class adventurers.

"Climb-san, we should probably investigate this."

"Yeah, let's be careful though. Lockmeyer, could you call the others?"

Obeying Climb's command, Lockmeyer went to call the people under Climb's command. They all cautiously approached the compound and found things exactly as Lockmeyer had described. The Six Arms were all found dead including Succulent, who should have been arrested under the orders of the royal family. Several important people were unconscious and easily apprehended and a large cache of documents and materials were seized.

During this time, everyone was so busy organizing things that no one saw Satoshi walk outside and teleport away.

XXX

 **I found it difficult to write a battle scene for the six arms this time, so I just did it off-screen. Yes, as I said before, I am lazy.**


	14. Chapter 14

Evileye cursed under the breath as she stared down the monster before her.

Things had been going so well until then. She had easily subdued the forces at her assigned location with her team and had left them behind to support the others. Flying to one of the locations, she found Gagaran and Tia engaged in battle with what appeared to be a demonic beast. Evileye joined the battle and, working with her comrades, they gained the upper hand. The strange demon beast was quite powerful and cunning, but even if Evileye faced it herself, she would have been able to win, albeit with some difficulty. After several minutes of battle and several dozen spells cast, the three members of Blue Rose defeated the beast. For some reason, once killed, the beast started to disintegrate into thin air. Curious, Tia walked forward to inspect what happened.

That's when things went bad.

Before Tia even made it halfway to where the beast vanished, a strange masked man appeared out of seemingly nowhere. As soon as the man appeared, Evileye was instantly on guard. Immediately, she could tell that although the creature in front of her seemed to be a person, it was clearly some sort of monster. What kind of monster, however, she was not sure. Evileye had existed for hundreds of years and had encountered many powerful beings. After encountering so many powerful beings, she gained the ability to roughly estimate the strength of others. Evileye could tell that the creature in front of her was significantly stronger than her. Even with Gagaran and Tia helping her, it would be unlikely for them to win. She honestly doubted that all of Blue Rose together would be able to defeat this monster.

"Oh, you a friend of Evileye's?"

Evileye scowled at that remark. Of course Gagaran would make a comment like that now. She clearly didn't understand the situation they were in.

"Sorry, I have no idea who you are talking about."

Surprisingly the creature answered back. Evileye was stunned for a moment before she regained her bearings and decided on a course of action. Speaking softly, she addressed her comrades.

"You two, we need to retreat. Don't look at me, shut up and listen. That ... is a powerful being. He is a true monster. We can't beat him in the condition we're in. We need to fall back and come up with a plan. Don't look back and run with all of your might. I'll hold him off long enough for you to get some distance then teleport away."

"But"

"No buts, Tia. We need to regroup and face him with all of our members or we won't stand a chance."

"Eh, he doesn't look so tough. I could probably beat his ugly mug myself."

Evileye stared at Gagaran with an annoyed look behind her mask, but before she could respond, another voice interrupted her.

"You know, I can hear everything you're saying, and I don't appreciate being called ugly."

Evileye froze at the creature's declaration. Her entire plan was down the drain now that he knew about it.

"Racially enhanced hearing, huh. Just what are you?"

"I have no obligation to answer that question. Also, I don't have racially enhanced hearing; this is an effect of one of my items."

Evileye was somewhat surprised at that. It was rare for monsters to use magic items. If they could defeat this monster and obtain his items, it might be valuable. Of course, that wasn't looking likely now.

Evileye raked her brains for a solution to this situation, but before she could come up with anything, the creature turned to his left and started staring in the distance.

"Huh, it seems like we've attracted some attention."

Evileye did not know what the creature was talking about, but a few seconds later, she heard the distinct sounds of metal. It appeared that one or more armored people were coming toward them.

Unsure what to do, Evileye considered her options. The creature was currently distracted, so fleeing was a viable option, but if she did that, the people running toward them would be in danger. If they stayed and fought, they might be able to subdue the creature, but that would depend on if the new arrivals were willing to help and how strong they were. Evileye could also contact the other members of Blue Rose with [Message] and call for reinforcements, but that would take time.

While she was lost in her thoughts, a new voice sounded out on the battlefield.

"What's going on here?"

A little surprised at how fast these people got here, Evileye looked up at them. There were three adventures, two dressed as magic casters and one warrior, and all of them were wearing what looked like mithril plates.

Evileye cursed her luck. While mithirl plates were considered elite, they weren't nearly powerful enough to make a difference in this situation. However, before she could do anything, the creature spoke up again.

"I don't know. That's what I'm here to find out."

Evileye was confused at this remark, but once again, before she could organize her thoughts, one of the adventures, the warrior, spoke.

"Who exactly are you?"

"Ah greetings, my name is Jacor. May I inquire to your names?"

One of the magic casters answered.

"I am called Kaze and this is my team, Emerald Staff. We saw some magic cast here and came to investigate. What are you doing here?"

"I sent one of my scouts here to locate an item. It was killed, so I teleported here to see what happened. I found these three here, but they seem to be agitated around me."

"Huh, so do you three know what happened here?"

The adventurer who called himself Kaze addressed the members of Blue Rose. Evileye was so surprised at the conversation that just occurred, and the fact that the creature was so talkative, that she couldn't form a coherent thought. Instead, Gagaran spoke up.

"Wait, that demon beast was yours? Why would you send it into this city?"

"Well, young man, I was"

"Hey! I'm a beautiful lady, not a man!"

"You sure don't look like it, but whatever you say. As I was saying, I was somehow summoned here from a higher plane by some sort of magic object in this city. It is keeping me here, so I must find it as soon as possible. My demon beasts are in this city searching for this object. Now, may I ask you why you attacked my servants? I gave them strict commands to avoid combat."

"It was a demon beast in the city, of course I'd attack it."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

"Hey, as much as I'm enjoying this conversation, I have a question to ask."

The adventurer Kaze interrupted the two. Evileye was silently grateful for that; she was starting to get a headache.

Incidentally, even the undead aren't immune to headaches.

"What is it, young man?"

"What will you do when you find this object?"

"I will destroy it. I want to go home and I can't as long as that item exists."

"So, you're not going to try to conquer this city or kill anyone then?"

"No, what do I care what lower life forms do?"

"Ah, I see, in that case, we could probably help you search for this item. Of course we'd expect to be compensated, we are adventurers after all."

"I see, I suppose I can part with a magic item or two if it means getting home faster. How would you like"

The creature suddenly stopped talking and turned his head.

"I am sorry, young man, but it seems you are too late. One of my scouts has found the item, so I have no need of your services. Good day to you."

With his piece said, the creature disappeared, leaving behind the six adventurers.

"Well, that's a shame; I wonder what kind of item I would have gotten."

"That's fine. We just got some powerful new items anyway. It would be unwise to be too greedy."

The female magic caster in the group spoke to the apparent leader. While this was happening, Evileye was stunned at this turn of events.

"What, but how, why, ugh"

"Ah, it looks like shorty is having a mental breakdown. Never thought I'd see that."

Tia glanced at Gagaran, who seemed to enjoy Evileye's current state, with a deadpan expression. Evileye took several moments to compose herself before speaking again.

"What the hell just happened here?'

Kaze stared at the three members of Blue Rose for a moment before answering.

"What do you mean? Like I said, we saw some spells cast here and came to investigate."

"Ugh, no, what I mean is, ugh. Did you really just try to extort a powerful creature to get an item?"

"Eh, why not? He seemed polite enough and I could always use an extra item."

"But didn't you realize how powerful he was?"

"Does it matter? As long as I wasn't provoking him, he didn't seem interested in fighting. If we weren't enemies, who cares how strong he is? After all, you don't see me complaining how powerful dragons are as long as they don't attack."

"But, but"

Evileye stuttered as she tried to find a counter argument, but she realized that the adventurer in front of her was right. After all, the Platinum Dragon Lord was the strongest creature she knew of in this world and no one she knew had a problem with that because he didn't involve himself in the affairs of humans. Also, it was natural for adventurers to avoid unnecessary battles and reviewing the battle, Evileye concluded that the creature was not aggressive.

She also realized that it may have been possible to get an item from that creature but they'd lost that chance now.

"Hey, so who are you three, anyway?"

Once again, the voice of Kaze brought Evileye out of her thoughts.

"Huh, you really don't know? Must be new here, then. Can't you tell by our plates?"

Gagaran responded as the three members of Emerald Staff walked closer.

"Adamantite, huh? In that case you must be Blue Rose or Red Drop, and given that we're in the capital, that must mean you're members of Blue Rose. It's an honor to meet you."

"Thanks, kid, Hey, wanna do it?"

"Uh, what?"

"Never mind her; we need to get going anyway."

Tia interrupted Gagaran before things could get more confusing and dragged both Gagaran and Evileye away. It was somewhat humorous to see a small person like Tia pull around Gagaran. It was even more amusing to watch Gagaran stumble as she struggled to keep her balance.

XXX

"Alright, it seems that things went within expectations."

Once the three members of Blue Rose left, Satoshi waited about a minute before addressing his companions.

"Yes, I am impressed by your performance master."

Ryuuta respectfully addressed his master with genuine praise.

"Well, while there was a possibility this could have gone bad, it wasn't likely. Still, it's a good thing that things went smoothly as it did."

"Yes, was my 'rarping' sufficient, Kaze-san?"

"It's 'Larping', Anne-chan, and yes, you did fine."

Satoshi was still mentally kicking himself for using that term earlier. Once he said it, the two of them kept asking what it meant and eventually Satoshi relented.

In order to act out this scene, he had Saitama take the part of Jacor, who would act as this worlds version of Jaldabaoth, or whatever he was called, and summoned a disposable creature for Blue Rose to fight. Naturally, Satoshi did not want to cause a massive battle in the capital, but he didn't want to make too much of a divergence from the information he had here. The result was the situation that just unfolded.

Satoshi just hoped it wouldn't have any big effects or unintended consequences.

"Well, let's get on with the plan then."

Satoshi cast [Message] to contact Saitama and switched out with him, taking the identity of a player once again and teleported back to his group. Everyone there was still disorganized and trying to sort out the situation, so almost no one noticed that he was gone for about ten minutes. Brain did give him a strange look and asked where he went, but Satoshi explained it as needing to use the bathroom and not wanting to do it in the compound, which seemed to satisfy Brain.

While Satoshi's group was busy at their location (for the record, Satoshi decided to just stand back with Brain and let the others handle going over the information), Emerald Staff arrived at the Adventurers Guildhall. They introduced themselves to the receptionist as a newly promoted team that was looking for work in the capital. They gave a brief description of the events that occurred earlier, once again highly edited, and left to find a room for the night.

A few minutes after Emerald Staff left, the adventurers in the guildhall witnessed one of the ninjas from Blue rose drag two of her teammates into a room on the second floor. No one there had the courage to ask what that was about.


	15. Chapter 15

The aftermath of the campaign against Eight Fingers was disorganized and time consuming. Once all of the enemies at the locations were subdued, the city guards were called in to handle the cleanup. By this point, Eight Fingers could do nothing to retaliate and none of the nobles they had under their fingers (pun not intended) were willing to risk helping them. The city guards were unorganized and unprofessional, but they were competent enough to follow orders and were necessary thanks to the enormous amount of manpower needed.

Thankfully for Satoshi, he was allowed to leave after the initial assault so he didn't need to deal with this mess. He also received a report from his subordinates that they had successfully infiltrated the bases before the assault and retrieved most of the valuable items there. Once again, the shadows had proved their usefulness.

It was good to be Satoshi right now.

All that he needed to do now was have his shadows discover the location of Eight Finger's meeting later and leak that information to several members of the Kingdom. He already had a good idea of who was in their pocket and who wasn't, so he knew who to give that info to.

Naturally, Renner was not on the list of those under the influence of Eight Fingers. While she would probably use that information as he desired, Satoshi wanted to stay far away from her. At best, he decided he would arrange to have the information eventually reach her, through many intermediaries, but something told him even that wouldn't be enough to hide his involvement.

At this point, Satoshi didn't really know how skilled Renner was, but he wasn't in the mood to take risks. Marquis Raeven was probably a safer choice anyway, even if Raeven did end up just passing it along to Renner.

Either way, Satoshi knew what his plans were for the near future.

XXX

"Ah, welcome back master Satoshi"

As Satoshi walked into the grand chamber at Galahall, Jasmine greeted him as she always did. It honestly made Satoshi somewhat uncomfortable, as he was not used to this kind of treatment.

'Ah, I think I understand a little what that guy feels now. At least it's just 'uncomfortable' and not 'unbearable'.

The once pristine room was now filled with stacks of paper. Satoshi had ordered a report on the status of Galahall, but he was unprepared for the sheer amount of information that was provided. He wasn't a born leader, just a normal person who liked to play games thrust into this situation.

"Thank you, Jasmine. How are things going here? Have we catalogued the items taken from the Eight Fingers yet?"

"I apologize, master, but we will need more time to do so. There are a lot of items and treasure that we obtained and only so many servants capable of identifying and sorting them."

"I see, that's fine. It isn't urgent, so as long as it's done in a reasonable amount of time it should be OK."

For all of the power ACE had and all of the detailed work the guild members put into their base, it was at the end of the day originally a virtual space, one that did not need to adhere to the rules of reality. Despite including many features such as food production, training, and recreation areas, customized NPC avatars, detailed buildings, and customized programs (all of which cost real money) no one had the foresight to code in support staff such as clerical workers and assistants, other than the custom maids that every guild seemed to have. After all, YDDGRASIL was a fantasy game and who would want to bring such things into their fantasy? As a result, Satoshi was forced to recruit from the NPC citizens to fill this role. Fortunately, many of them seemed to be willing to do this work for a reasonable wage. The problem was finding skilled labor. Most of the NPCs in the city area were relatively low leveled and unlikely to have any specialized skills. Satoshi could use mercenary monster summons for that role, but the useful ones were expensive so it was a last resort. Even with several mercenary monster summons helping identify the items, it was a slow process.

"Now then, is there anything else that needs my attention?"

"Yes, master Satoshi, there are two things of note. First, on the issue of technological advances you mentioned earlier, we seem to have encountered more difficulties. We understand the concept of the machines you wish to build, but actually building working designs have proved problematic."

"I see"

This was within expectations. From the start, Satoshi was under no delusions that he could instantly reproduce technology from his world here. Even if he could, he wouldn't want to reproduce everything, after all, why ruin a world like this with smog and pollution? However, there were some advances he wished to mimic here, and with the existence of magic and new creatures, there were new possibilities open.

Unfortunately, progress in this endeavor was slow. This too was expected. Satoshi knew the end product, but not the process. He knew how a standard light worked, but not how to build one. He also didn't know how these inventions were originally discovered and what their limitations were. Satoshi did have some knowledge that was useful here, but most of the workings for this technology were unknown to him. Sadly, while YDDGRASIL held vast amounts of information including the works of several public libraries free for download, no one in ACE had added that information to their guildbase. There was probably some irony there, but Satoshi didn't find it funny.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about that for now. Have the experiments continue, but set it at a lower priority until things have stabilized."

"As you wish, master."

This was likely to be a long-term project, so Satoshi would have a few people working on it in the background while he handled other issues.

"The second thing of note is the guild inventory list. It has finally been completed."

"Ah, it's finally done? Let me see it then."

Jasmine handed Satoshi a large stack of papers. Once again, it was more information than Satoshi knew what to do with. He flipped through the stack of paper, but couldn't understand or absorb all of the information. He truly missed the convenience of computers.

"Well, I'll go through all of this later. For now, I'll be, what the?"

Satoshi stopped on the last page of the stack. It listed the world items currently under control of ACE. From what Satoshi knew, ACE had possession of three world items the last time he checked about a month before the shutdown of YDDGRASIL. However, listed on the sheet before him was...

"Nine? Nine world items? Is this correct?"

"Yes, master Satoshi, that is what was reported in the treasury.

Including the Amulet of the Divine Star that was still in his possession, that was ten world items that was under his control. However, Satoshi didn't understand how ACE got all of these items. The best theory that Satoshi could come up with was that due to the shutdown, many guilds disbanded and either gave away their items or had them stolen by those that remained. After all, the game had been almost empty in the last week, with a surge of players at the end.

Looking through the list again, Satoshi reviewed the world items now in his possession. Most he knew about, but a few he did not recognize. He would have to investigate those later. One item in particular caught his eye.

"Wait, we have the Cauldron of Abundance!"

"Yes, master."

As Jasmine answered Satoshi's rhetorical question, Satoshi was already thinking ahead. In YDDGRASIL, the Cauldron of Abundance as a famous world item that belonged to the Divine Pioneers guild. They were a guild of explorers that rarely participated in guild wars or PVP, and the Cauldron of Abundance was their only known world item. The Cauldron of Abundance allowed its owner to freely generate any component item such as materials or data crystals regardless of the rarity of the item. Naturally, there was a limit to the amount of items that the Cauldron could produce in a given time period, but it was widely considered one of the most useful world items. According to the information that Satoshi had, the items produced were equivalent to completing a major raid every other week. The Cauldron effectively had a stockpile of power that could be used to generate items and gradually renewed itself over time. Naturally, the rarer the item generated the more stored power it took. Many guilds traded with the Divine Pioneers to get missing components to make powerful items as they could produce the exact component needed. Even more guilds tried to steal the Cauldron, only to be defeated by the Divine Pioneers, who wielded some of the best equipment in the game.

If that item worked as it did in YDDGRASIL, Satoshi did not need to worry about raw materials any more. He could even produce the prismatic ores if the wanted to. However, before he got ahead of himself, he needed to confirm exactly how that item worked now.

'I'll also need someone to work with the items as well. Looks like I'll need to summon another expensive mercenary. Ah, if only Saberstar was here.'

Satoshi gave the list another glance, but didn't find anything as valuable as the cauldron. Naturally, all of the world items there were valuable beyond measure, but right now, the cauldron was the most important of them. There were two items that he had never heard of and three that required confirmation of their abilities. He knew about the other four, which included the cauldron.

"Very well, Jasmine. It seems that my comrades have left us a gift. We must use it wisely. Now, is there anything else you need to report?"

"No, master."

"In that case, continue with the orders I gave you earlier. Prioritize leaking the information to the mentioned individuals discreetly. We mustn't allow ourselves to be discovered yet. Make the necessary preparations for the operation I mentioned earlier. I am going to my personal chambers. Message me if an important event occurs."

Satoshi activated his guild ring and teleported to his room. He needed to take a bath before enjoying a well-deserved nap.

XXX

Meanwhile, in a luxurious mansion in the heart of the capital city of Re-Estize, a man with blonde hair, narrow blue eyes and pale skin smiled as he reviewed the information that he had gathered. Marquis Raeven, one of the Six Great Nobles and secret leader of the Royal Faction, had spent a considerable amount of time and effort going through several documents seized from the hideouts of the Eight Fingers and he now had a much greater understanding of the structure and scope of the organization.

Marquis Raeven was a man loyal to the Re-Estize Kingdom. He wished to see the Kingdom prosper and his family to have a safe home. In his youth, he had once held ambitions to sit on the throne himself, but he had long since reigned in and refocused those ambitions. Marquis Raeven held no personal loyalty for his king, but supported him as best as he could for the simple fact that King Ranpossa III was the best man to have on the throne. He had proven himself a capable and brilliant leader, without him the Baharuth Empire would likely be ruling over the Kingdom. Unfortunately for the Kindom, the 'Bloody Emperor' Jircniv Rule Farlord El-Nix was also a brilliant leader, and unlike King Ranpossa III, he did not have to deal with the interference of short sighted nobles. Sadly, King Ranpossa III could not stay on the throne for much longer. He was already over 60 years old and would need to appoint a successor soon. Raeven supported the second prince Zanack at the moment, for he was the best choice out of many bad options.

Marquis Raeven would do anything for the future of the Kingdom and his family, and today that meant crippling the Eight Fingers. Several of his informants had already obtained information about the next meeting of their executives and he had narrowed down the meeting location to three possibilities. The Eight Fingers had lost a lot of power as a result of the recent operation in the capital, but what worried Raeven was the possibility that they might have a horde of powerful magic items still at their disposal. Most of the assets seized were gold and art, with relatively few magic items.

Marquis Raeven sighed as he relaxed in his chair. Regardless of the situation, he would have to continue. Either way, magic items could only do so much without skilled people using them. He could only hope the Eight Fingers didn't have many skilled people left.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N**

 **Time for some review replies.**

 **FallenHuntr: While I am a fan of Log Horizon, I actually got the idea for the Horizon Explorer class from a D &D wiki. I believe it listed Horizon Explorer as a hybrid warrior/explorer class, but in this fic, I'm changing it so in YDDGRASIL, it could have a physical or magical focus. Naturally, Satoshi took the magic option.**

 **PervySageChuck: Sorry, I'm not good at choosing places to end. Unfortunately, I can't write forever, so you get the abrupt ending.**

 **... and now you're probably going to make a quip about me writing forever.**

 **MadDan90: Thanks for your review. Sadly, Blue Rose won't play a major part in this story, but they will probably come back later. Hopefully the interaction with the king in this chapter will meet your standards. (Sadly I'm not good at writing these sorts of scenes, so I can't say for sure.)**

 **On with the story**

XXX

The sounds of battle filled the swampland. Over a hundred Lizardmen warriors were locked in battle with a horde of skeletons. The maces and clubs of the Lizardmen easily shattered the weak skeletons.

Zenburu watched the one sided battle with slight disbelief as he spoke.

"Are they looking down on us?"

"It's just a large number of skeletons, I was honestly expecting more."

"But, isn't this a good thing? Our enemy is not as strong as we thought they would be."

"Yeah, I suppose so."

A little over a week ago, a strange undead messenger had flown to all of the Lizardmen villages in the lake and proclaimed that its master, a 'lord of death' had ordered their destruction. In response to this threat, the Lizardmen had banded together to fight off the armies that were sent to destroy them. They did not know how powerful their enemy was, so they took every precaution they could think of.

"Hard to think that this 'lord of death' thought it could defeat us like this."

"Not necessarily, brother. It is true that we will probably win this battle, but if this army had attacked a single village instead of our united alliance forces, they would have easily overwhelmed us. The only reason we are winning is because all of the warriors and hunters from the tribes are fighting here together."

"eh, that's true, I guess."

"Well, even if they only have numbers on their side, that still makes them dangerous. Ah, Crusch, how are things going on your side?"

"We're doing fine. The ritual's almost finished."

"Alright, hopefully that will be enough to finish this battle."

The Lizardmen turned their attention back toward the battle as the druids prepared one of their trump cards.

XXX

'Looks like they're doing fine'

Satoshi observed the battle between the lizardmen and the skeleton army from a hill a few kilometers from the battlefield via an [Arcane Eye] spell. He honestly didn't care too much about these lizardmen, but he didn't want to screw up with the timeline too much and make things unpredictable.

'Still, this may all be for nothing at this point.'

Satoshi knew from the very beginning that his mere presence in this world would affect it, but he wished to keep it to a minimum for as long as he could. If he changed things too much, then the knowledge he mysteriously gained when he arrived in this world would lose most of its usefulness. However, at the same time, he didn't want to force himself to recreate everything he had witnessed, he wanted to make his own decisions. The result was him trying to change things, but limit the effects of his changes. However, there was a limit to this. Eventually one or more of his changes would have a major impact on the world and he would have to deal with the consequences. He knew this was coming eventually, so he had prepared as best as he could.

Satoshi knew that sooner or later, he would have to do something (or not do something) that would cause a major deviation from his knowledge and create a situation he knew nothing about. He had just hoped it wouldn't be for a while, preferably until the annual war between the Kingdom and Empire. Unfortunately, it seemed that he wouldn't be able to put it off that long based on the information his shadows were collecting. Already, things were moving behind the scenes in ways he didn't anticipate.

From his vantage point with [Arcane Eye], Satoshi saw the lizardmen summon a pair of Swamp Spirits that charged into the formation of skeleton warriors. The lizardmen were already winning, and this would seal their victory. It honestly didn't matter to Satoshi; he had deployed that army solely to be crushed. Hours before the battle, he had several illusionists create an illusion of a skeleton army approaching the lizardmen. Once the lizardmen had formed up, Satoshi had 200 Elder Liches that he summoned earlier each summon 10 skeleton warriors and had the illusionists drop the illusion and withdraw along with the liches. The Elder Liches themselves were summons created from corpses, so they were permanent, but the skeletons they summoned were not, so they would disappear soon. It didn't matter if the lizardmen defeated them or not, his total forces would be unaffected. From what Satoshi saw, many lizardmen were injured, but he didn't see any that had died. Of course, he couldn't see the entire battle, so it was possible that some lizardmen had perished or some would succumb to their wounds later, but as of now he didn't see any confirmed deaths, which he was fine with. This battle wasn't meant to weaken the lizardmen.

After a few minutes, Satoshi decided that he had seen enough and teleported back to Galahall. The lizardmen were just doing cleanup at this point anyway. In a day or two, he would send another undead messenger to them proclaiming that they had proven their valor and earned the right to survive, or something along those lines.

XXX

A few days after the battle with the lizardmen, Satoshi returned to the capital of Re-Estize. By then, his shadows had reported that the situation with the Eight Fingers was in its final stages and the King and several nobles were preparing to meet with him.

Sure enough, two days after he arrived, a messenger from the palace arrived to escort him to a meeting with the King and several members of the nobility of Re-Estize in the Valencia Palace. Satoshi left his staff in his inventory to appear less threatening, but had a few invisible servants nearby for insurance. After passing by several rooms, he was led into a room that was more functional than decorative with a somewhat large number of people inside. From earlier reports, Satoshi knew that all of the Great Nobles other than Marquis Boullope were present, along with several lesser nobles. Unfortunately, Princess Renner was present, standing near Prince Zanack, but Satoshi believed she would not interfere with this meeting. Gazef was standing beside the throne where King Ranpossa sat.

"Now then, let us begin."

With that proclamation from the King, the entire court quieted down and focused their attention on Satoshi and the King.

"Young man, my servants have told me much about you, but I would like to hear what you have to say personally."

"Very well your majesty, that is a reasonable request. You may call me Satoshi. I am from a land far away from here, one I doubt that you have heard of."

Satoshi told the King a story mixed with exaggerations, half-truths, and the occasional outright lie. Despite this, it was far more believable than the actual truth. Satoshi explained that he was the ruler of an underground city that belonged to a nation far away, possibly worlds away. They were experimenting with a mass teleportation spell to send both people and items to another location when something went wrong and their entire city got teleported to this world. Satoshi explained that they had no idea how to safely return and had no choice but to stay here. He claimed to be here to offer peaceful coexistence.

"Well, that is certainly quite the story, young man."

"Yes, it may be hard to believe, but that is what happened."

Satoshi struggled to keep a straight face when saying that.

"So, what do you propose that we do from here?"

"Well, seeing as my city is by E-Rantel, nearby the Kingdom, Empire and Theocracy, we hope to reach peace agreements with all three nations. Once things calm down, we should be able to begin trading with other nations, although the Kingdom will likely receive the most trade due to proximity. We'll see how things go from there."

At this point, one of the Six Great Nobles, Count Ritton decided to speak up.

"And what of the fact that you are on land owned by the Kingdom, do you intend to pay rent?"

Satoshi had expected something like this coming, so he had an answer ready.

"No, as things stand, somehow, not only were we transported here, but so was a small portion of our land, a little under a half kilometer radius around our fort. I don't know how exactly it worked, but the immediate area around our city, the Fortress City of Galahall, came with us, so we are on our own land. We may be surrounded by the land owned by the Kingdom, but the land we are on is our own."

"You are still on territory that the Kingdom recognizes as its own."

"I apologize, but we cannot compromise on this issue. We claim the land immediately around our area as our own."

"You dare"

"Enough!"

The King silenced Count Ritton before things could escalate.

"The land in question is small and not being used for anything. Further, it is under the authority of the king. In the interest of peace, we will allow you to claim a small amount of this land."

"Thank you, your majesty. I should mention that my organization, ACE, is interested in purchasing or renting additional land in the future should things go well. Naturally, we will offer fair compensation that both parties must agree to before anything is done."

"That is acceptable. As long as we can come to a reasonable agreement, we will be willing to rent you land for your purposes. I must ask, however, what do you intend to use this land for?"

"I myself am not sure of every need that will arise, but for now I predict we may rent some land to grow food to feed ourselves and perhaps some to sell. Galahall has ample food stores and can generate its own food, but more variety will be appreciated. We may also wish to build a trade center to do business with the Kingdom and other countries."

"I see, I believe we can both benefit from such an agreement. I must also ask what you will do during the annual war between the Kingdom and Empire."

"As such a conflict does not involve us, we will not interfere. However, we will be willing to sell weapons and items to you. You may also try to hire mercenaries at Galahall, but I doubt you will find any and if you do, I doubt it will be worth it."

"I see, I suppose that's the best we can expect. I don't suppose you would be willing to join the Kingdom, would you?"

"I'm afraid not, at least not at this time, your majesty. Perhaps in the future, but for now we have no desire to join the Kingdom or any other country."

"I see, what a shame."

The meeting continued on for about an hour after that, with minor details being discussed. Once everyone ran out of things to discuss, the King adjourned the meeting and ordered one of his scribes to draft a preliminary treaty that covered everything they discussed.

'Man, I really wanted to just slap some of those nobles. I can't believe how annoying some of them were.'

The nobles of the Kingdom had kept arguing over the smallest and most inconsequential details of the treaty.

'Well, at least that's over with. I think I'll just relax for the rest of the day.'

Satoshi left the Valencia palace, parting with his escort at the gate, and returned to his house in the capital.

XXX

Two days passed after that without incident. Satoshi received periodic updates from his servants during that time. Nothing of note happened in Galahall or with Emerald Staff. On the third day, he was summoned back to Valencia Palace to inspect and sign a peace treaty with the Kingdom. After that, Satoshi decided to return to Galahall to take some time for himself.

Two days later, an emissary from the Theocracy arrived. They discussed several issues and came to an agreement, drafting a treaty between the Theocracy and ACE. The emissary was surprised to see some of the creatures in Galahall, but Satoshi assured him that they were under his control and would work for the betterment of humanity. The terms of the treaty were what Satoshi expected; it was basically a non-aggression treaty and a promise to stay out of each other's business. Satoshi also made a verbal agreement to attempt to rid the Kingdom of corruption, but made it clear that it would be difficult. He just said he would do what he could.

By this time, Satoshi had an excellent information network of Shadows in the Kingdom. He started sending a few into other nations such as the Draconic Kingdom and Roble Holy Kingdom, but stayed out of the Theocracy, as he wasn't sure if they would be detected there.

Based upon the information his Shadows delivered, the Kingdom was in worse shape than he originally believed. As much as he hated to admit it, the corruption ran so deep that a civil war may be inevitable, despite what he told the Theocracy. If that occurred, he planned to intervene to protect the lives of certain individuals, but he was under no delusions that he could stop a war like this by himself, or even with all of his subordinates, without consequences.

The Shadows deployed in the Empire reported that things were relatively stable there. Satoshi had an ample amount of Shadows in the Empire, but had them stay away from certain areas such as the Magic Academy and Fluder's quarters.

The Shadows in the Roble Holy Kingdom and Agrand Council Alliance were too few to give him a clear picture of things in those countries, but they appeared to be stable. The few Shadows in the Draconic Kingdom revealed a nation on the brink of collapse, in even worse shape than the Re-Estize Kingdom. The few Shadows deployed to the Azellisia Mountain Range had recently located the Dwarven Kingdom at the city of Feoh Ger, but had not located the Frost Dragons or Quagoa at Feoh Berkanan yet. Incidentally, they did find the ruins of what Satoshi assumed were the ruined Dwarven city, Feoh Tiwaz, but naturally, it was abandoned.

Satoshi had plans to take over and rebuild that abandoned city. He would negotiate with the Dwarves, possibly trading some magic items, for the official rights to the city. Naturally, if things went bad, he could just take it by force, but he preferred to do that only as a last resort. With the items gained from the Cauldron of Abundance, he would have no shortage of building materials. The planned city would be quite extravagant. Still, that was a long-term plan that he would focus on later.

For now, he planned to meet with the Baharuth Empire, the last major power near Galahall.

XXX

 **In case anyone is wondering, the reason the King just gave the land was to get on the good side of ACE. It was a calculated move to discourage conflict with them and generate goodwill. Even if they lost a little land, it was a tiny amount in the grand scheme of things. The gift was basically an investment for them.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N**

 **Time for an intermission chapter**

XXX

A man with a pretty face dressed in extravagant clothing gingerly stretched his body and leaned back in a fancy chair. Before him was a table filled with many pieces of paper, each with some information scribbled on them. The room he was in was richly decorated, with a fine red carpet and several paintings on the walls. The glass windows and doors to the room were closed, preventing any breeze from blowing the papers away, yet still letting light in. Other than this man, there were four guards in the room standing at attention, completely motionless. One might easily mistake them for empty suits of armor if one did not pay attention. Despite this, they were ready to defend the young man in the room at a moment's notice, sacrificing their lives if need be.

The young man was Jircniv Rune Farlord el Nix, the Bloody Emperor of the Baharuth Empire.

Unexpectedly, the door to the room opened, without any knocking. This caused the guards to tense up, but the next moment, they relaxed, seeing the man who entered the room.

The unannounced intruder was an old man with a long beard wearing numerous magic items. He was Fluder Paradyne, the archmage of the Empire and one of the few people allowed to act in such a manner.

"As I thought, it is impossible."

"What's the matter, Gramps?"

Jircniv asked Fluder what was bothering him, even though he already had a good idea what it was.

"As we suspected, I am unable to gather any information about the situation. Someone or something is blocking my spells."

"I see."

Honestly, Jircniv expected this. When his spy in the Kingdom delivered the information about ACE to him, Jircniv suspected they would count powerful magic casters among their number. After all, they would need to have them in order to attempt long distance teleportation. Despite this, there was the possibility that Fluder would be able to gain some insight to the situation, so Jircniv had ordered Fluder to try. Unfortunately, it seemed that was not possible.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped. We'll just have to ask them ourselves. I'll arrange to invite them to Arwintar."

"Is that wise, your highness?'

"It should be fine. They were cordial with the Kingdom and my intelligence sources claim they wish to build relations with all of the nearby countries. They won't act needlessly aggressive toward us."

"Very well, your highness. Will you attempt to convince them to join the Empire then?"

"I would, but I don't think I will be successful. From what I know, they wish to remain neutral in the conflict between the Kingdom and Empire. While this means we cannot get them to fight for us, at least they will not fight against us. Hopefully we will have a better negotiating position once we conquer the Kingdom. In the meantime, it seems they are willing to establish trading relations with us. I believe they have many items we may want, including several powerful magic items."

"Oho, how powerful are these items?"

"I can't be sure, but they appear to be on par or better than the best items in the general market. They may even be comparable to the items in the Magic Academy."

"Intriguing, perhaps it will be worthwhile to establish relations with them after all."

"Yes, it would be even better if we were the only ones they would trade with, but it seems they are willing to trade their items with everyone. At least the Kingdom is not wealthy enough to purchase many items from them, so it will still end in our advantage."

"Very good, then. Shall I return to my regular duties now?"

"Yes, there is no use trying to obtain more information on them with magic at this point. We will handle this situation as it unfolds."

"In that case, may I ask for a favor, your highness?"

"What is it?"

"If the opportunity presents itself, please extend an invitation to this ACE to have some of their magic castes discuss magic theory with me."

Jircniv smiled. He should have expected this from Fluder.

"Very well, gramps."

XXX

Deep within the territory of the Slaine Theocracy, in a sacred room, 12 people gathered. These people represented the highest authority in the Slaine Theocracy. Each of them took a seat around a round table after completing their traditional cleaning ritual.

"Then, let us begin the meeting."

The organizer of this meeting was the Cardinal of Water, Ginedine Delan Gwerfe. He was a shriveled old man and his skin was a dusty brown. Nevertheless, he was highly intelligent.

"Our first order of business is the issue reported by Ivon."

This was currently the most important issue the Theocracy faced.

Ivon straightened his back and spoke in a clear, commanding tone.

"Yes, I trust everyone received my written report?"

"Indeed, however is it true?"

The Cardinal of Fire, Berenice Nagua Sandeni, questioned Ivon.

"Well, it is true from my point of view. If you are asking if this Satoshi is truly a player however, then I cannot answer for certain."

"Did he truly know two of the Six Great Gods?"

"Again, I cannot say for certain. He claims to have known them in the past, but even if he is telling the truth, he himself admits that they have changed since he knew them."

"Still, to have known the gods, even before they became gods."

"Yes, it is quite something."

The people in the room were silent for a few moments. Eventually, Ivon broke the silence.

"Well, whether or not he is who he claims to be, we cannot deny his power. He may indeed be a player."

"Well, fortunately, he and his allies seem to be friendly toward us. I doubt we could afford to have an open conflict with them. It may be even more ruinous than a war with the Republic."

The Cardinal of Earth, Raymond Zag Lauransan, voiced his opinion. No one voiced disagreement with the former Black Scripture member.

"Indeed, they claimed that they would try to reform the Kingdom, but they themselves are unsure if it will work."

All those present grumbled at this remark. The Kingdom was the most geographically secure human country, so the Theocracy had aided them in the hopes that many talented people would be born there and aid in repelling non-human invasions. Unfortunately, the peace created corruption and the Kingdom rotted from within.

"The emissary of ACE claimed that even in the event that the Kingdom could not be saved, they would take steps to ensure the survival of certain individuals, including Gazef Stronoff."

The mood in the room slightly lightened in response to Ivon's remark. No one there wanted to lose a talented human like Gazef. They took no joy in ordering his assassination earlier for they believed it to be the best option out of many bad options.

"Still, is it true that they hold demihumans and monsters amongst their number?"

Ivon glanced at Berenice and nodded.

"Indeed, there were several at their fortress, but they all obeyed the commands of their masters. The envoys were assured that they were under their control and would work to benefit humanity."

"Isn't that a little risky?"

"Indeed, but to be honest, I believe the Theocracy would do the same if we could guarantee the loyalty of our servants. After all, the Six Great Gods preached for humanity's survival, but did not state how we should do that. If we could control other races, we would certainly use that tool as well."

"I see."

The Cardinal of Wind, Dominic Ire Partouche, spoke up next.

"Would it be possible for us to convince ACE to fight for us? If they are truly as strong as we think and sympathetic to humanity, they could possibly defeat the elves of the Great Southern Forest."

"According to our envoy, they do not wish to come into conflict with most of the major counties or organizations around them yet. From what we know, the only mobilization of their forces they are planning is a relief force to the Draconic Kingdom."

"Ah, that's better than nothing I guess. Perhaps we can coordinate with them and redirect some of the forces that we were planning to send there."

"That may be possible."

"Very well, however, we can discuss this at a lower level. In the meantime, we do not have enough information to make a firm decision. For now, perhaps we should conserve our strength and see how things develop."

"Very well, we will postpone a decision until later."

"Very well, then let us continue with the next topic. Regarding the Black Scripture's mission, I believe they failed to find the Catastrophe Dragon Lord."

"Yes, that was to be expected, but it was necessary to be cautions. Anyway, I have prepared a report on this topic."

The meeting continued with Raymond passing out documents to the others at the table.

XXX

A young girl sat on a throne in a small, luxurious room. She spoke in an adorable and innocent voice.

"Okie! I'll let you handle it!"

"Yes, I will not fail you your majesty!"

The knight kneeling to the girl rose and strode from the room with confidence.

After the door closed, the girl waited a few seconds then turned to the minister beside her.

"Was he the last one?"

"Yes, it should be fine now."

Upon hearing that, the girl slouched in her seat.

"Ugh, this is so tiring."

The persona of the young girl completely changed.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"I can't stand this."

"You must endure for your country, your highness. Do you have any other ideas to solve the problems that face this country?"

The young girl frowned at this. Looking like this, one would not believe that this girl was the Queen of the Draconic Kingdom, the Black Scale Dragon Lord, Draudiron Oriuclus.

Currently, the Draconic Kingdom was under a savage attack by the nearby Beastman Nation. The defenders of the Kingdom had fought valiantly, but Beastmen were far stronger than humans.

"What a nightmare. Is there anything we can do?"

"We currently do not have enough forces to do much. Crystal Tear is leading the adventures in fighting back the beastmen, but they are outnumbered. We lack the money to hire Optics, or other powerful workers groups. The theocracy has sent some aid in the form of their Sunlight Scripture, but they will not be here for long."

"Oh, why is that?"

"They said they have orders to return to the Theocracy in two months. I was not told why that is."

Draudiron frowned at that.

"That won't be long enough to retake our cities, but they will assist in fighting and weakening the beastmen."

"I see, is there anything else?"

"Just one more thing. A new organization has appeared by the Kingdom and has pledged support to our country. Their emissary said they will be here within three weeks and will do whatever they can to help us. Unfortunately, I doubt they will be enough to make much of a difference, but at this point we can't be picky on what help we get."

"I just hope none of them are lolicons."

The minister smiled bitterly at that.

"Unfortunately, it would be better if they were, your majesty."

XXX

Deep within the Ro-Lente keep, in one of the many training rooms there, a fierce looking man stood facing several straw targets. The man was in a combat stance holding a longsword, his face filled with focus.

The man suddenly moved, faster than a normal person could perceive, and swung at the targets.

[Eightfold Slash of Light]

One strike became eight, and eight straw targets now lay in pieces on the floor.

From an onlooker's perspective, it would seem that the man had achieved success. However, the individual in question did not think that way.

"Tch, not enough, huh"

The man, Gazef Stronoff, voiced his displeasure under his breath. Gazef had been trying to develop a new martial art, one that was the logical progression from the [Sixfold Slash of Light]. Unfortunately, things did not seem to work out for him.

To begin with, the [Sixfold Slash of Light] had several weaknesses. It was extremely taxing to use, it couldn't target enemies individually, and it was easy to dodge. However, there were times when it had its value. When enemies surrounded Gazef, he often used the [Sixfold Slash of Light] to thin out their numbers. The packed enemies would find it difficult to dodge the wild attacks. Logically speaking, an [Eightfold Slash of Light] would be even more effective in this situation. Unfortunately, it seemed to be beyond Gazef's abilities.

The attempted [Eightfold Slash of Light] was even more draining than the [Sixfold Slash of Light]. While this by itself wasn't too much of a problem, the individual slashes were far too weak. Gazef estimated that they were about a tenth of the strength of the slashes from his [Sixfold Slash of Light]. While this might be enough to handle weak enemies, it would be useless against above average foes such as the Empire's knights. No matter how he looked at it, the [Sixfold Slash of Light] was a superior technique.

Gazef sighed in disappointment. It seemed that his attempt to create a new martial art was a failure.

With nothing else to do now, Gazef began going through a standard training routine. While he was tired from his earlier activities, this was not enough to inconvenience the Kingdom's Warrior-Captain. About twenty minutes into his exercise, a voice called out behind him.

"So, is this how you spend your time?"

Gazef stopped his workout and addressed the man behind him.

"Unglaus"

"Please, call me Brain."

"Then you can call me Gazef. What brings you here, Brain?"

After the events in the Capital, Brain had decided to stay and was currently serving the Golden Princess along with Climb. Gazef felt that Brain would eventually grow bored with his duties and leave again. Despite that, he held onto the hope that Brain would stay and serve the Kingdom, strengthening its national power.

"Ah, I was just looking for somewhere to practice. Can't have my skills get too rusty, after all."

"I see."

"Say Gazef, since we're both here, why don't we have a friendly spar? I'd love to see how I measure up to you after all this time."

"Hoh, do you think you can handle me as you are now? Didn't you say you were out of shape and hadn't swung your sword in weeks before the incident?"

"I'll be fine. Shouldn't you be worrying about yourself instead? You look like you're exhausted."

"Don't worry about me, after all, in actual combat it is very rare for one to fight in tip-top condition. In a sense, this is good practice for me as well."

"Ah, so I'm just practice to you then?"

Gazef smiled at this remark.

"So how should we decide the winner of our friendly bout?"

"First blood? No intentional lethal attacks, though."

"Very well"

Gazef and Brain each chose a weapon from the weapons cabinet and stood about five meters apart, facing each other.

Brain smiled as he lowered his stance. He would finally get a chance to test the new combination martial art he developed, the [Four Strikes of the Great Forest].

XXX

 **Since Brain did not face Shalltear in this story, he did not name his attack the [Nail Clipper]. I had to come up with a new name for it.**


	18. Chapter 18

"Yeeeehhh"

Satoshi made a strange noise as he stretched his body in his private hotel room. He was currently in the Imperial Capital Arwintar in his adventurer persona of Kaze. Emerald Staff had returned to E-Rantel shortly after the events in the Kingdom's capital. As they were now a mithril ranked adventurer team, it was easy to travel, as they were given priority when dealing with gate guards.

Satoshi had taken a week of personal time before taking up his next task. He personally visited E-Rantel as the leader of ACE and put in a request with the Adventurers guild. He hired them to deliver a message to the Empire requesting a diplomatic meeting. Surprisingly, several individuals in Galahall had learned the local language to an acceptable degree of proficiency, so they were able to write it. He still hired a native of E-Rantel to proofread it though; it was fine as written. Satoshi asked the guild clerk to give priority to high-ranked adventurer teams should they request the mission. The guild clerk told him that the reward was too small to expect anything less than a gold team to accept it, but obliged his request.

Naturally, Emerald Staff accepted the request.

Satoshi, under the guise of the adventurer Kaze, had delivered the package containing the message to the Adventurer's guildhall in the empire last night and rented a room in an inn for the night. Normally, he would have teleported back to Galahall to spend the night, but on a whim, he decided to stay in Arwintar last night. While the accommodations weren't up to Galahall's, standard, they weren't that bad. He was a little disappointed that the supposed best inn in the Empire would not let him rent a room, but it wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things.

The package sent to the Emperor included a light link gem with instructions on how to use it. The gem was red when he sent it. He requested the Emperor have the gem change to green if he accepted the offer, or yellow if he rejected the meeting at this time. The letter mentioned that if the Emperor accepted the offer, Satoshi would arrive in Arwintar three days later in the morning.

Satoshi smiled as he saw the corresponding gem in his palm. It was red last night, but green now. He had two days to explore the city before the meeting with the Emperor.

XXX

Satoshi, in his adventurer persona, walked through the main marketplace of the Empire, looking at several stalls. He had several shadows stationed in the city but not nearly as many as in the Kingdom. Still, he had a general idea of what was happening here, which was good enough for the moment.

Satoshi browsed the stalls of the stalls of the central market for a short time, but it proved to be too crowded for his liking. Eventually, he decided to go to the north market instead, which while still somewhat crowded, was not as packed as the central market. Additionally, while the central market was filled with a wide plethora of different stalls, from food stalls to clothing stalls to tool stalls, the northern market was almost exclusively filled with stalls for magic items. That being said, the quality of the magic items was quite low, even by this world's standards. Adventurers or workers trying to sell items they didn't need or couldn't use manned most of these stalls.

Deciding to purchase a few items here, Satoshi discreetly activated one of his skills that let him perceive the relative rarity and power of magic items. Naturally, the vast majority of the items here were junk, but there were a few that were slightly more valuable than the others. Satoshi purchased several of the valuable items along with a few of the cheap, junk items for appearances sake before leaving the market.

XXX

Satoshi walked along one of the Empire's paved roads as the sun slowly set. He had debated on whether or not to visit the grand arena, but eventually decided not to. He could always come back later.

After passing several shops, he arrived at the tavern cum inn known as the Singing Apple Pavilion. From what Satoshi knew, this was a gathering place for many worker teams in Arwintar. Despite coming here however, Satoshi had no need to hire workers. Rather he came here for something else. Supposedly, the workers of the Empire chose this place as their de facto headquarters for a variety of reasons, most of which Satoshi had forgotten. However, there was one particular reason that he could remember.

The food here was supposedly very good.

Satoshi entered the tavern portion of the building and treated himself to a delicious meal.

XXX

Two days passed by relatively quickly. During that time, Satoshi explored the Imperial Capital. His shadows located several of the workers he knew of, including Foresight, but he decided not to intervene with them.

Three days after delivering the message, Satoshi teleported from his rented room back to Galahall to pick up some supplies before teleporting with Angela to a location he had marked earlier that was a reasonable distance away from the entrance to Arwintar. He then cast a [Mass Fly] spell and traveled with Angela to the main gate. The guards there were somewhat surprised to see him fly to the entrance, but he landed a safe distance away and slowly walked up to them. After introducing himself and his reason for visiting, the guards escorted him to the Imperial Palace.

For this meeting, Satoshi had kept his weapons in his inventory and did not bring any invisible guards. However, he did have several powerful guards ready to teleport in at his command. In addition, if necessary, he could swap out to his main gear almost instantly, although he didn't expect it to be necessary even in the most unfavorable situation.

Incidentally, Satoshi's favorite weapon was a staff named the 'Stick of the Fluffy Bunny'. The reason it was his favorite, even if it was only legacy class, was due to a certain incident that occurred several years before the shutdown of YDDGRASIL. He named his staff that on a dare, and later got into a PVP battle with another party while he was using it. Satoshi, or rather the player Cowgomoo, ran out of mana during that battle and ended up having to physically attack the last opposing player with his staff. Somehow, he managed to get the last hit in, and the death notification to both parties read 'Beaten to death by Cowgomoo wielding the Stick of the Fluffy Bunny'.

From what he knew, the player that was defeated didn't return to YDDGRASIL for over a month. Satoshi's entire guild had a good laugh from that story. Satoshi kept the staff because of this memory, even though he had long since gotten superior weapons.

Satoshi had several staffs in his inventory, including the Stick of the Fluffy Bunny. He idly considered using it should things go bad, but without the death notification, it wouldn't be nearly as funny. Anyway, despite being called that, it looked like a generic fantasy staff and no one knew its name. If things did go south, he had several stronger staffs he could choose from. Besides, Angela's barriers should be more than enough to protect him.

Satoshi was lead into a luxurious waiting room in the Imperial Palace. He took some time there to admire the aesthetics of the room. While it couldn't compare to Galahall, Satoshi liked it better than the Kingdom's palace. The Kingdom had a sense of history in its buildings, while the Empire had a more modern aesthetic. While it was nowhere near the style in his home world, it was quite interesting. The Kingdom reminded him of styles he associated with medieval times, while the Empire resembled what he knew of the late Renaissance.

About 15 minutes after he was shown to the waiting room, a servant informed Satoshi that the Emperor was ready to see him. Satoshi was lead to a grand chamber where he saw Jircniv Rune Falorld el Nix sitting on a throne with Fluder Paradyne by his side. Beside them, there were eight guards stationed by the walls and two scribes flanking the emperor.

"Hm, I can't see it?"

Satoshi heard Fluder mumble to himself. Naturally, he knew of Fluder's talent and had prepared a countermeasure to it. He didn't want the archmage of the Empire to swear loyalty to him in front of the emperor, after all.

Jircniv ignored Fluder's mumbling and addressed Satoshi.

"Greetings, emissary of ACE, I have heard much about you."

"Thank you, Emperor Jircniv. Just to get formalities out of the way, how would you like me to address you?"

"Either 'Emperor', 'Your Imperial Majesty' or 'Your Highness' will be appropriate. How shall I address you?"

"I will go with 'Emperor', then. You may call me Satoshi."

"Oh, you do not wish to be addressed as 'Lord Satoshi'?

"I prefer not to be called a lord. Although I do rule a city I have never been comfortable with such a title."

"I see, I guess that's reasonable. Now then, shall we get onto business?"

"Yes, I suppose we should. I trust you are aware with my agreement with the Kingdom?"

Jircniv nodded his head.

"Excellent, I wish to offer similar terms to the Empire. I believe it would be in all of our interests to agree to coexist for the foreseeable future."

Satoshi and Jircniv discussed several issues regarding a potential treaty, with the scribes recording their conversation. Fluder looked thoroughly uninterested in the conversation until Satoshi mentioned the possibility of the Empire buying magic items from Galahall. Naturally, Fluder quickly lost interest again once they moved on to the next topic. After about half an hour, they reached an agreement. The Empire would recognize ACE as a sovereign entity with the same boundaries agreed with the Kingdom. ACE would not participate in any conflict between the Empire and Kingdom, but was allowed to sell items to both sides. ACE would arrange a caravan to the Empire's markets to allow them to purchase items. There were several other things, but they were all minor issues.

Naturally, Jircniv tried to convince Satoshi to ally with the Empire, but Satoshi replied that he had no reason to antagonize the Kingdom and was willing to let the two countries fight it out between themselves. Secretly, Jircniv was fine with this as the Empire already had several advantages over the Kingdom.

"Well then, Satoshi, I believe that should cover about everything, I shall have one of my scribes record this agreement in writing. It should be ready to sign by tomorrow."

"Very well, Emperor."

Satoshi wasn't concerned about signing such a document. In the end, it was just a piece of paper. Still, he would try to adhere to it just for reputation's sake.

"Now then, is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

"No, if you permit, I will take my leave. Please use the light link gem again to inform me when you have the treaty ready."

"Very well, then."

With that said, Satoshi and Angela left the grand chamber. Once he left the palace, the two of them teleported back to his rented hotel room.

XXX

Jircniv and Fluder watched from a balcony of the palace as Satoshi teleported away.

"Hm, teleportation magic. Long distance teleportation is fifth tier magic, so he is at least a fifth tier mage."

"Are you sure it wasn't invisibility magic, gramps?"

"Yes, there are several wards to detect invisibility in the palace and around the grounds and none of them have been triggered."

"I see."

"Still, that magic caster Satoshi seems to be quite powerful. Just how strong is he, I wonder."

"Eh, can't you tell with your eyes, gramps?"

Fluder smiled bitterly at that remark.

"Indeed, my eyes can see the general strength of an arcane magic caster, however there are ways to block it. I am quite the famous individual, if I do say so myself, so it is not surprising that some people would take countermeasures against my eyes."

"Is that so? Then this Satoshi is hiding his true power from you then?"

"Perhaps, or maybe he is hiding it from everyone. After all, I am not the only one with a talent like this."

Fluder's thoughts briefly wandered to one of his former disciples, Arche Eeb Ryle Furt. That girl had mastered the second tier of magic at a young age and was close to using the third tier. Sadly, she abandoned her studies for some reason. However, that girl had the same talent that he did, eyes that could see an arcane magic caster's power. Fluder had heard rumors of several other individuals with that power as well. Taking countermeasures against it was reasonable.

"Well, at least we won't meet them on the field of battle. Even if he could only use fifth tier magic, that would make him a dangerous adversary."

"Yes, I wonder if he would be willing to discuss magic with me."

"We'll worry about that later. By the way, what do you think of that woman?"

"Well, she didn't say anything and I didn't sense anything from her, so I'm not sure. She is quite attractive, perhaps she's a consort?'

"Possible, but we can't be sure. We simply don't know enough right now. I suppose it's a good thing we can interact with them, that will give us a chance to gather more information."

"Indeed."

XXX

Two days later, Satoshi was summoned back to the Imperial palace to sign the treaty. The event passed without incident. Satoshi coordinated with the Emperor to have a caravan visit the Empire periodically, which would allow them to exchange news.

Three days after that, once Satoshi had supposedly left the city, Emerald staff began their journey back to Re-Estize.

XXX

 **In case anyone is wondering, Angela uses a greater doppelganger ring to change her appearance when she is acting as an adventurer. Also, I might not update this story for a while, as I need to figure out the next arc.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N**

 **Well, I've been away for a while. Sadly, I didn't have any inspiration to write until recently. While I had this chapter completed a while ago, I didn't want to post it until I started writing again. I make no promises on future postings.**

 **Also, I am putting my other stories on hiatus until I figure out what to do what them.**

XXX

The sun rose promisingly over a lush countryside. Along a dirt road, nearby a stream, there was a small village. This village was so small it would not be wrong to call it a hamlet. This village was known as Yosol Village. It was an agricultural village located in the Draconic Kingdom. The people here grew crops and raised animals to feed themselves and pay their taxes. While there was no nearby forest to gather wood and herbs from, the nearby stream provided fresh water and fish, and there was ample grass and minerals to use as fuel and building material. For many years, the people of Yosol Village lived peacefully and happily and while they were not rich, they did not suffer from poverty.

However, if one were to visit Yosol Village now, they would sense an air of disturbance that was not usually present. That was the result of the recent Beastman invasion. Just a week ago, the people of Yosol Village had received word that the nearby city of Dural had been conquered by the beastmen. Yosol Village was located far enough from the frontier that beastmen attacks were rare. The last one had occurred over 10 years ago. However, now there was a very real threat of a beastman attack, one that was meant to conquer, not raid. The people here lived in fear that they would be attacked and killed, eaten, or worse. Despite this, life went on in the village. There was much work to do; otherwise, they may perish without the help of the beastmen.

Unfortunately, for the people of Yosol Village, today was the day that their fears would become reality.

It started a little after midday. One of the village scouts ran to the village, shouting that there were beastmen coming. Yosol Village did not normally have scouts, but after the fall of Dural, the village implemented this system. The people were now glad that they did. With the advance warning, the villagers quickly rushed to their homes to gather some of their belongings. While escape was of the utmost priority, the people still needed some of their possessions or they would certainly die while traveling. The many families in the village scrambled to gather what they could on wagons and carts before rushing out of their village, possibly for the last time.

XXX

Minas Eroot rushed down the main road, pulling a cart filled with supplies. Beside him, his younger brother pulled another cart filled with food. They were fleeing with the rest of the village to the nearest safe city. Minas had moved to Yosol Village about three years ago with his younger brother Gen, who had just turned eighteen, from the city of Sareth. His father was a relatively wealthy merchant who managed several caravans and his mother was a farmer's daughter who moved to the city. Unfortunately, Minas's mother had died in a beastman attack when Minas was twelve and his father died of illness several years ago, forcing the then twenty-year-old Minas to take his place. Unfortunately, Minas did not have much skill or luck as a merchant and steadily lost money. Minas was wise enough to know that what he was doing was not working, so he sold all of his merchant assets and bought some land in Yosol Village to farm. While Minas was not a great farmer, he had learned enough from his mother to make enough to live on.

When news of Sareth's fall to the beastmen reached him a year ago, he had been grateful that he had left the city. Now, he was starting to wonder if he had just delayed his demise.

Minas could count himself fortunate that unlike most of the farmers in Yosol Village, he still had quite a bit of money saved up from selling his assets. However, that would all be for nothing if he died here today. As if the gods were mocking him, he suddenly heard a panicked yell behind him.

"Beastmen!"

Minas looked back and what he saw terrified him. Over a dozen beastmen were pursuing the fleeing convoy.

This was bad.

No one in the convoy had the ability to fight the beastmen. There were no soldiers, adventurers, or any kind of fighter in Yosol Village. Their only hope of survival was to run. If the beastmen caught them they would be killed. This was because demihumans such as beastmen were much physically stronger than humans. The average beastman was over ten times stronger than the average human. It would take a miracle for them to defeat even one of those beastmen.

"Gen"

Minas shouted at his brother. As the two of them locked eyes, they wordlessly agreed on a plan of action. Both brothers dropped their loads and sprinted into the fields. Out of the corner of his eye, Minas saw several other villagers fleeing in several directions.

This was to be expected. When being chased by a powerful predator, it made sense for the prey to split up. While some were likely to be caught, others would have an opportunity to escape. If they all stayed together, they would all be caught.

However

'Dammit!'

Minis cursed in his mind. One of the beastmen had chosen to pursue the two of them. At this distance, even if the two of them split up, they would likely be caught. It seemed that their only hope of survival was for the pursuing beastman to choose another target, but that seemed unlikely.

Minas sprinted forward with all of his might. His entire body started to ache as he strained it. However, despite running as fast as he could, he could hear the pounding of feet behind him getting closer. Minas started to panic as he realized he was about to die.

However, before he could fall into despair, Minas heard a strange sound behind him, one he could not describe. Curiosity got the better of him and he turned his head to look behind him. To his surprise, he saw the beastman that had been pursuing him on the ground, likely dead. Beside the beastman, there appeared to be something that was shaped like a human, but was clearly not a human. It almost looked like a large warrior doll, complete with a longsword and shield. The entire construct was a dull grey color, almost as if someone had taken a knight and covered it with grey paint.

Whatever this thing was, it was clear it had killed the beastman that had been pursuing Minas and Gen. Minas gave a silent prayer of thanks to the gods for his salvation. Taking a breath in, Minas observed his surroundings, and what he saw shocked him.

XXX

Lancel observed the two young men who had been saved from atop a nearby hill. Perhaps calling it a hill was a little misleading, as it was just slightly higher than the surrounding area, but it did give him a better vantage point. Lancel used his racially enhanced eyesight to survey his surroundings. Scenes similar to the one he just witnessed occurred over and over again. While he hadn't made it in time to save the entire village, most of them had been rescued. Lancel frowned as he looked at the corpses of the villagers he had failed to save. While he did not care about them in particular, it displeased his lord to have them die. Lancel resolved to redouble his efforts.

About two weeks ago, Lancel had been summoned to the grand chamber in Galahall. His lord, Satoshi, had given him a mission to lead a relief force to the Draconic Kingdom. While this would require him to leave his post in Galahall, Satoshi had decided that Alana would be capable of handling the defenses without him.

Satohsi had given Lancel command of a unit of 100 warrior golems. These golems had been made with Satoshi's skill [Create Golem] using various base materials. Their combat abilities varied, but the average golem was about level 32 on its own. Lancel's commander abilities could increase this to an effective level of about 45. While this was quite weak by YDDGRASIL standards, it was more than sufficient to defeat these beastmen.

When Satoshi gave Lancel this mission, he had received several orders. First, Lancel was to remain in his humanoid form and not transform into his dragonoid form. Second, Lancel himself as not to enter battle, but send the golems he commanded to fight for him instead. Satoshi stated that he could use his commander abilities to strengthen the golems, but forbade him to engage in direct combat. In the event that he encountered a powerful opponent the golems were unable to defeat, he was to withdraw from battle and teleport back to Galahall to inform Satoshi of the situation. Third, Lancel was to act to save as many humans as possible provided he did not enter combat himself. Satoshi stated he would be displeased with the deaths of these humans and while he understood that not everyone could be saved, he wished to minimize the causalities. Fourth, Lancel was to lead his army to liberate the conquered cities of the Draconic Kingdom. Satoshi had expressly forbidden him from venturing into beastman territory unless it was to save kidnapped citizens. Fifth, Lancel was to use his own judgment to determine the best course of action. Satoshi had permitted Lancel to contact him in an emergency or if there was an issue he could not resolve by himself, but Satoshi expressed a desire for Lancel to make as many decisions by himself as possible.

There were several other orders, but they covered minor details.

Lancel's task was to achieve his victory conditions using the forces that were assigned to him. Satoshi had told him that he would send some reinforcement golems later, but they would not arrive for some time.

Lancel could feel the connection he had with the summoned golems. Somehow, his lord had managed to transfer control of these summoned golems to him, which allowed him to mentally issue commands and strengthen them with his skills.

Lancel wordlessly ordered the golems to finish the rest of the beastmen and gather the humans back by their belongings.

XXX

Minas was frightened.

This strange creature had effortlessly killed the beastman pursuing him and was now carrying him and his brother back toward the abandoned caravan. Minas could see that many of the villagers had been saved from the beastmen by similar warriors and were all being carried in the same direction as him.

Minas thought about resisting, but the fact that this creature had saved them and possessed incredible strength caused him to abandon that thought.

Surprisingly, the creature took him back to the abandoned caravan where all of his belongings were. There were already several other people there who were gathering their possessions. They appeared frightened, but hopeful. This was to be expected after the events that had transpired. The warrior golem dropped Minas and Gen by the front of the caravan before walking towards a group of similar golems seemingly standing in formation.

Minas was somewhat surprised at this, but decided to go and check on his belongings. Although he had abandoned them, that was an act of desperation. His chances of survival were much higher if he had supplies.

Minas took a few minutes to ensure that all of his belongings were still there. Seemingly as soon as he finished, he heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Greetings, people of the Draconic Kingdom. By order of my lord, I have come to assist you in your time of need."

The voice was strong and commanding, as though the words themselves were filled with power. Minas told his brother to keep an eye on their belongings while he went to see what was going on.

It seemed that Minas was not the only one with this idea. A small crowd of several dozen people surrounded the newcomer and the village elder, Jemil, to listen to their conversation. The person Jemil was talking to resembled a knight. He was quite tall and wore a suit of armor, with a shield and sword on his back. A helmet covered his face and he wore exquisite plate armor with some sort of gem in the center of the chest. He was also carrying a bag of what appeared to be supplies. As Minas approached, he could hear the conversation between the two.

"for coming to our aid. We would have been slaughtered without your help."

"There is no need to thank me; I am just following my orders. I will drive the beastmen from these lands and allow you to return to your homes."

"Truly, sir Lancel? It would be wonderful if we could return safely, but we have nothing to pay you with."

"That is not necessary. I do not require payment for this."

Minas could hardly believe his ears. A mighty force had come to lend them aid and did not demand some form of payment. This went against all of the common sense he knew. Minas noticed that the other villagers also had a hard time believing this.

"After I restore your village, I shall head to the city of Dural to liberate it. Once that happens, the beastmen attacks should lessen as they focus their efforts on retaking the city."

Minas was shocked that this was happening. He had thought it impossible to retake Dural with the forces the Draconic Kingdom had at its disposal. However, perhaps this newcomer might be able to do it with the mighty warriors under his command. However, there was a problem with this course of action. Just as he thought of it, Jemil voiced his concerns.

"But sir, what will we do if the Beastmen return?"

This was to be expected. The stranger had shown kindness and power, so the people expected he would protect them. However, their hopes were dashed.

"Unfortunately, I cannot be everywhere at once. I rescued your people because you were on my way to Dural. My main objective is the city and the people trapped there, which should benefit you as well, but I cannot protect everyone. If it is in my power to do so, I shall aid you again, but I must save as many as I can, even if it means sacrificing the few."

Jemil looked dismayed at this answer, but understood it. While they were saved today, they could not expect this kind stranger to keep protecting them without charge. They were fortunate enough that he was not asking to be compensated for his troubles up to this point.

"While I must liberate the city of Dural, I can spare about an hour here to help clear the surrounding area of beastmen. I also have some supplies that I am to distribute to the people of this nation. I can give you some if it if you are in need."

The villagers smiled at that announcement. It seemed that they were not out of luck yet.

XXX

Upon returning to the village, the people began to celebrate. They were still uncertain about their future, but for now, they were safe. Lancel had ordered several squads of warrior golems to patrol the nearby area and exterminate any beastmen still around. He then brought out supplies from his magical backpack to give to the villagers. The people of Yosol Village were surprised at the amount of food, medicine, and other consumable items Lancel could fit into his bag. The village received enough food to feed them for one and a half months and much needed medicine. As the village did not have a priest or apothecary, the medicine offered was extremely valuable. Lancel had brought fifteen healing potions and five minor elixirs. The potions and elixirs were made at Galahall using the techniques of this world, thus they were expendable in the eyes of Satoshi. While the preservation magic cast on them would only last for several months, they were quite valuable in this world. The researchers at Galahall had even managed to improve on the minor elixir recipe, creating a cure for most poisons.

Lancel watched as the villagers feasted on some roasted meat and wine that he had brought out. This meal had been cooked at Galahall, so it was significantly better than the food of this world. The magical backpack that Lancel carried could hold a huge amount of items and was enchanted to preserve the state of the items in it. Therefore, even though the meal had been cooked over two weeks ago, it was still fresh.

Lancel himself had a Greater Ring of Sustenance equipped, so he did not need to eat. While he could do so, the supplies he carried were limited, so he chose not to. It was not a major incontinence for him.

Chief Jemil had requested that Lancel leave behind a few of the warrior golems to protect the village, but Lancel refused, stating he needed them to liberate Dural. While he probably could have spared a few golems and still liberated the city, that ran the risk of prolonging the battle, causing more human casualties in Dural. This went against Satoshi's orders, so Lancel refused the chief's request.

After an hour had passed, Lancel decided it was time for him to leave. He mentioned this to the villagers and ordered his golems to return. To his surprise, about twenty of the villagers gathered by him with travel packs as he was about to leave.

"What are you all doing?"

"Please, sir Lancel, allow us to accompany you to Dural."

Minas spoke up for the small group. His brother stood beside him, determination in his face.

"Do you know someone in Dural?"

"No, I don't, I doubt anyone here does."

"Do you wish to gain glory in battle?"

Lancel asked them this even though he could tell these villagers were not fighters.

"No, we do not wish to throw away our lives."

"Then why?"

"We believe it is safest to go with you."

Lancel was somewhat surprised by this answer, but Minas continued.

"You command a powerful army of warriors, much stronger than the beastmen. Even if you go into battle, you will not lose with this strength. It is safer to be with you than anywhere else in this country. Please let us accompany you."

Lancel glared at Minas before speaking in a serious tone.

"I cannot guarantee your safety. Even with my forces, we may be overwhelmed and I may have to flee. You may die."

Minas responded with confidence in his voice.

"That cannot be helped. Still, we will be safer with you than here."

Lancel nodded at this.

"Very well, it is your choice to make. Just know that the consequences will be yours to bear as well."

Lancel then started his march to Dural, with the villagers following behind him.

XXX

Time for another character sheet.

Lancel

The Dragon Commander

Alignment: -50, Neutral

Job: Deputy Commander of the Defense forces of Galahall

Residence: Fortress City of Galahall, 3rd floor

Racial Level: 65

Dragonling Lv. 10

Young Lv. 10

Adult Lv. 10

Dragonoid Lv. 5

Draconic Knight Lv 10

Draconic Commander Lv. 10

Draconic Leader Lv. 5

Others

Job Level: 35

Solider Lv. 10

Sergeant Lv. 15

Others

HP: 100

MP: 0

P. Atk: 75

P: Def: 95

Agility: 80

M. Atk: 0

M: Def: 85

Resistance: 100

Special: 95

Total: 630

Lancel is a Dragonoid Knight with several command classes to strengthen his allies. Although he doesn't have any magic, he does have several racial skills that are similar to magic. Lancel is heavily dependent on equipment in battle. His personal combat ability varies greatly depending on the quality of his equipment.

The Dragonic Knight/Commander/Leader classes are racial variants of normal job classes. They are similar in function, but have a few distinguishing characteristics, such as differing stat growth.

For the purposes of this mission, Satoshi gave him magic items that even a non-magic caster can use.


	20. Chapter 20

On the road leading to the city of Dural, a large congregation of figures steadily approached the city gates. About half of them were warrior golems from Galahall while the rest were citizens of the Draconic Kingdom. Lancel had rescued two other villages after Yosol Village and the number of people following him had grown with each encounter. There were now over 80 people following him with the hope of being protected.

On a watchtower by the city gates, a duo of beastmen spotted the approaching group. As they did not look like fellow beastmen, the sentries raised the alarm. Over 150 beastmen responded, leaving the feasts in the city, and approached the newcomers.

This was not purely out of devotion to their cause. Many (though not all) beastmen enjoyed devouring humans. The feasts in the city were testament to that. However, in the city, there were a limited number of humans, and their chief only allowed the beastmen to eat a certain number of them per day. Many beastmen only got a single bite, if that. By attacking the approaching army, the beastmen hoped to be able to eat their fill.

The beastmen charged directly at their targets. Their actions were like wild animals that ran purely on instinct. The beastmen had always done this, relying on their superior physical attributes to overwhelm their prey. This type of attack easily overwhelmed weak opponents. When they encountered a strong opponent, they simply overwhelmed them with their numbers. This primitive tactic had worked on all of the beastmen's enemies up to this point. However, they were not prepared to face the warrior golems under the command of Lancel.

The warrior golems, enhanced by Lancel's command skills, easily weathered the initial charge of the beastmen and swiftly struck back. The beastmen were quickly overwhelmed by the golems. To put it in adventurer's terms, the average difficulty ranking of a beastman was 30. Compared to this, humans, who had an average difficulty ranking of 3 would be easy prey. The one advantage humans had over the beastmen in terms of individuals was the fact that there were several exceptional humans and almost no exceptional beastmen. Some humans could accumulate enough strength and experience that their difficulty ranking went over 50, with a few reaching above 90. However, these were the exceptions. At best, there were probably only 15 to 20 people in the entire Draconic Kingdom with a difficulty level over 80. While these exceptional individuals could fight dozens of beastmen each and win, there were tens of thousands of beastmen attacking all aroung the Draconic Kingdom. Sheer numbers would overwhelm them. In contrast, the average difficulty ranking of the 100 warrior golems from Galahall, after being strengthened by Lancel, was 125. The strongest were over 140 and the weakest were around 105.

Incidentally, this variance in strength had confused Satoshi. He intended to research it later.

Against so many powerful warriors, the beastmen lost despite their numerical advantage. To make things worse for them, the warrior golems did not tire from constant fighting. Against living opponents, fatigue played a major part in long battles. Even if there was a large discrepancy in skill, fatigue would cause their movements to slow and their strength to wane. As the warrior golems did not suffer from this disadvantage, they could fight indefinitely without rest, defeating hundreds of weaker enemies with ease. Furthermore, with Lancel commanding them, the warrior golems acted in a coordinated manner. The beastman horde attacked solely on instinct with no overall strategy. On the other hand, the warrior golems acted as a unit, constantly readjusting their positions and supporting each other, never overextending themselves. Arguably the only chance the beastman had was to isolate individual warrior golems and defeat them. With Lancel commanding the golems, that wouldn't happen.

After defeating the initial wave of beastmen, the army of golems approached the city. Seeing what happened to the previous wave of beastmen, the remaining sentries quickly closed the gates to the town. Unfortunately for them, the beastmen had heavily damaged the gates when they took over the settlement, so the gates didn't offer much of a defense.

On the other hand, there were over a thousand beastmen in the city, clearly outnumbering the warrior golems.

Generally speaking, in this situation, where one side has a numerical advantage but quality disadvantage, they can leverage their advantage by fighting in an open area, allowing their forces to surround and overpower the opposing force. This is naturally an oversimplification, but in this case, a competent commander for the beastmen would try to engage the forces of Galahall/ACE preferably in the open field or failing that inside the city where they could attack from multiple directions.

However, the command of the beastmen fell to who was the strongest, not who was the smartest.

While the beastmen rallied in the city and prepared their attack, Lancel ordered the forces of Galahall to the destroyed city gate and waited for the enemy to come to him. From the information the few shadows under his control gave him and basic knowledge of this enemy, he knew the beastmen would attack soon. From previous battles, he knew that they used no ranged weapons, using their speed to close the distance to their enemies relatively quickly.

That being said, the ranged abilities of the warrior golems under his command were few as well, having only a sword and shield, and a spear that could be thrown, but no bow or crossbow. (or gun)

A few minutes after the forces of Galahall were prepared, the beastman attack came. The results were as Lancel predicted. The beastmen were no strategists, so they just threw themselves at the warrior golems. The golems were positioned just outside the ruined gates, which only let a finite number of beastmen though at a time. Some decided to scale the walls to attack, but they were easily picked off by the golems Lancel held in reserve. Unable to bring their numbers to bare, the attacking beastmen were methodically annihilated.

Lancel sighed at this outcome. Given the strength of his forces, he undoubtedly would have won, but if the beastmen had fought intelligently, he could have taken losses.

With the main force of beastmen defeated, Lancel ordered his golems to retake the city, using information gathered by the shadows. The few remaining beastmen in Dural had assumed their forces would be victorious and were taken by surprise by the golems. Most of the occupying beastmen were killed, but some undoubtably escaped.

By the dawn of the next morning, Dural had been liberated

XXX

"... therefore, to avoid any confusion, I am giving you this notice. Hopefully, we can coordinate forces sometime in the future."

Draudiron Oriuclus, the so called 'Black Scale Dragon Lord' tried to appear as if she was listening to the man who stood before her, but her mind was wandering.

'Ah, even when Cerebrate isn't here, I still need to keep up appearances. This is so tiring.'

Satoshi stared at Draudiron, a blank look on his face. Despite this, he was a little annoyed. While he personally didn't know what Draudiron was thinking, it was obvious to him that she didn't want to be here.

'Tch, she may ignore me now, but eventually, they'll agree to work with me. Still, is it really OK for her to look and act like that? Maybe it's just a difference in culture, but this is kinda weird. It doesn't help that I know that I know that she's an adult.'

"On behalf of the Draconic Kingdom, I thank you for your assistance. However, we currently do not have enough forces to assist you in your endeavor."

Satoshi's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the Kingdom's minister.

'huh, I completely forgot that guy was there. He just seems to blend into the background.'

After taking a moment to organize his thoughts, Satoshi spoke once more.

"That will not be a problem, minister, uh,"

"Prime minister Tendo." The man helpfully interjected.

"Yes, Prime minister Tendo. I have sufficient forces to liberate at least one city and begin creating the buffer zone, but it will take time to complete such a large scale task. I will continue to work on it, but I wanted to inform you now so we don't have any misunderstandings."

"Very well, I wish you luck on your task." The minister politely replied.

'Tch, for some reason, I really want to punch this guy. He just seems so smug. Even I can tell he's just acting here. Eh, I'll just make him eat his words later.'

"Well then, I've done what I came here to do, so I will take my leave."

Having said that, Satoshi turned and walked out of the throne room. Idly, he noted that none of the people in there paid any real attention to him.

'eh, it's to be expected, but still a little annoying.'

Satoshi walked out of the castle, noting how tired and depressed everyone looked. It was obvious that they were on the losing side of their conflict just from their looks. Eventually, he made it back to the inn he was staying at and went to his room. Once he had his summons check the place for any eavesdroppers, he cast [Message].

"Lancel, it's me, code one one two three five eight one. Is the area secure?"

"Ah, master Satoshi, yes, we've liberated the city of Dural and are assisting the townspeople now."

"Already? I thought there were over a thousand beastmen in that city. How did you manage to, no, wait, you should tell me in person, I'll come over now."

"Yes, master, I'll arrange a cleared area for you. It should just take a minute."

"Very well."

As Satoshi waited, he allowed his mind to wander a bit once more.

'Ah, remembering the code is a pain, do I really need to do this?'

From the information he got when coming to this world, Satoshi had heard that there were ways of messing with the [Message] spell, but he had yet to encounter any instances of it. Still, just to be safe, he designed a code system to further secure messages and decreed that all important conversations should be done in person, with the [Message] spell being used as a potentially flawed but useful tool.

About 40 seconds later, Lancel gave Satoshi the all clear and after scouting the destination area with magic, Satoshi cast [Greater Teleportation].

XXX

Satoshi ended up teleporting into a relatively small room in one of the many buildings of Dural, After receiving Lancel's report and giving a few vague orders, Satoshi activated his Greater Doppelganger Ring and changed his appearance. Using a new appearance that no one would recognize, Satoshi decided to mingle with the people of Dural and see what they were like.

Two hours later and bored out of his mind, he decided to call it quits and just go back to Galahall. All of the people in Dural seemed to have a similar opinion, that they were grateful that they were being protected and safe and were wary about the future. While there were a few differences based on the individual, this was the general sentiment.

It felt good to know that he had made a difference, but after talking to the fifth group of people the trend was obvious and after that Satoshi was effectively wasting his time by staying there.

XXX

After returning to his personal office in Galahall, Satoshi decided to get some of his work done. While he could delegate the vast majority of his work to others, there were still some things he had to approve himself.

'Ahh, it's such a pain to do all of this. Part of me just wants to conquer this world an get it over with.'

Over the past few months, Satoshi had to evaluate how well he had done periodically. While he was making significant progress, when he compared how the world was doing overall to the knowledge of what happened in the alternate timeline or whatever it should be called, he had to admit that he couldn't say with confidence that things were better based on his morals. While there were definite improvements in certain areas, such as certain people surviving and terrible fates averted, this was balanced out by some people faring worse off, mainly because those in power abused them. In the knowledge he was given, Satoshi knew that thanks to Ainz's actions, some of those people were no longer in power and therefore the lives of those under them were improved.

It was somewhat unintuitive that things possibly could have been better if he just conquered the world so he could improve the lives of the people here. Still, he did not have the mindset of a dictator, even a benevolent one, so if he tried to do that, he would undoubtedly mess it up somehow.

Privately, Satoshi had to admit to himself that he was only planning to help the people of this world out of a vague sense of duty, and that he could only do so because he and the forces under him were so comparatively powerful. If this ever changed, he would likely have to prioritize his safety and the safety of his allies over this lofty goal.

Shaking these thoughts from his head, Satoshi started working on the pile of documents on his desk. Nothing noteworthy happened until he was about a third of the way through the stack.

'Establishment of three outposts in Re-Estize, not a priority, denied. Agent infiltration of Noble Houses in Re-Estize with doppelganger servants, we already have the shadows for that, denied. Expansion of farming area, why not? Approved. Officially naming the planned mines in the Azerlisia Mountian Range, sure. Approve- huh?'

Satoshi blinked as he re-read the proposal, just to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him.

'Seriously, they want to name it Moria, how did, what? Wait, I need to investigate this.'

Satoshi cast a [Message] spell and contacted Jasmine.

"Hello, Jasmine, are you there?"

"Yes, master Satoshi, what is it?"

""I was going through the proposals submitted by the members of Galahall and came across one regarding a proposed name for one of our potential future mining complexes in the Azerlisia Mountian Range. Do you know who submitted it and how they came up with that name?"

"Ah, is there something wrong with the name master?"

At Jasmine's worried voice, Satoshi sought to clarify his statement.

"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to know who suggested it and how they came up with this specific name."

"I see. Hmm, I think the chief administrator for Galahall Inner City, Mushashi suggested it. He claimed that it was from one of the old movies he watched in the library archives"

"Ah, so that's how, wait a sec, did you say there were movies in the archive?"

"Yes, master, supposedly there are thousands of movies available in the archive. Since you insisted that all official Galahall servants work no more than half a day each day unless there is an emergency, many of the servants have had to find something to do with their time. The movies in the library have become quite popular."

"Why didn't you tell, no of course it's because I didn't ask."

Satoshi felt like facepalming at this revelation.

"Master?" Jasmine's voice was filled with concern.

"Never mind, it's nothing important, Jasmine. Please continue with your duties."

"Yes master Satoshi." Jasmine replied before Satoshi cut the message spell.

Satoshi paused for a few seconds before approving the request. It's not like anyone would understand the reference here anyway, and the only reason they were building a mine at all was to explain where they got all of the ores that he planned to use the [Cauldron of Abundance] for. After that, Satoshi stared at the pile of paperwork remaining at his desk for a few more seconds before coming to a decision.

'Screw it. It won't hurt to take a break and this paperwork will still be here when I get back. I'm the damn leader here and I think it's time for me to have a bit of fun.'

With that, Satoshi activated his guild ring and teleported to the library. He had a movie marathon to start.

XXX

 **Well, I finally got this out. Still having a hard time writing, so updates will be erratic.**


End file.
